As a part of Wiley’s commitment to delivering quality services to our client we are sending along two of our staff members to this year’s Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) Conference. The conference will be held over the 18th and 19th of September at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.
To get the scoop on what to expect for this year’s conference I sat down with our two delegates; Business Development Manager, Peter Bullock and Business Development Manager and Senior Process Engineer Peter Gilbertson.
PB PG
So gents, for someone who doesn’t know, how would you summarise what AMIC is all about?
PG: The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) is the Peak Council that represents retailers, processors and smallgoods manufacturers and is the only industry association representing the post-farm-gate Australian meat industry.
Is this year’s conference a thematic one? If so, how might this be relevant to the current issues facing the industry?
PB: People, Process & Performance will focus on recent events in the global meat trade, the pace of change and the need to manage that change if we are to maintain our elite position as a supplier of a wholesome, safe and high quality product to the world. Can we meet the challenges of the global marketplace today and the rapidly changing parameters of tomorrow?
What do you believe is the value in attending the AMIC Conference?
PB: To understand the issues that are driving change in the industry, how they affect our clients and how we need to respond to their changing needs. To be able to engage with both our meat industry clients and suppliers all under one roof and explore opportunities for working together.
PG: To understand the pressures and problems facing our clients, suppliers and all of the constituents who contribute to make up the red meat processing sector.
What is it that you’re most looking forward to?
PG: Brady Sidwell’s (Vice President Corporate Development and Strategy for OSI Group in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) keynote speech, titled ‘Rationalising China’s Insatiable Appetite: The Evolution of Red Meat Demand’. I’m also looking forward to Michelle Edge’s (CEO, Australian Meat Processor Corporation Ltd.) presentation on ‘Building People Capability and Capacity – the Role of R&D and Managing Challenges to Industry Productivity and Terms of Trade’.
PB: I’m also looking forward to Brady Sidwell’s presentation in order to better understand China’s quest for pastoral property and abattoirs in Australia.
What are hoping to take away from the conference?
PB: To be better educated about the current challenges facing the meat industry today and to forge new relationships and nurture existing ones with both clients and suppliers. This is a key networking event and the aim is to make good use of it.
PG: I’m hoping to really build on my understanding of the issues facing the industry at the moment and discussing these issues with those who are most affected by them.
Peter Bullock will be Tweeting live from the event – follow and join the conversation at: #FindingWiley and #2013AMIC
Connect on Linkedin with Peter Bullock | Peter Gilbertson
