AgVention 2025 Speakers List

Rob Pekin – Food Connect Foundation

Over the past 30 years Robert has been working to transform the food and agricultural system in Australia. As a former organic dairy farmer and market gardener he’s become known as a practical and hands-on social entrepreneur and thought leader working at the coalface of food systems change. In 2004 he founded Food Connect, a dynamic multi-farmer food distribution enterprise with an innovative community-based distribution system. In 2009, the Food Connect Foundation was launched to grow the fair food movement across Australia. In 2018, he co-founded the Food Connect Shed to raise over $2million with the community to buy their rented warehouse through an equity crowdfunding campaign. Robert is a member of the advisory board of Sustainable Table, sits on the Members Council of Regen Farmers Mutual, is a co-founder of the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, and a founding member on the board of Open Food Network.

You’d think with such incredible vision and intention Rob would have been guaranteed success – but it hasn’t been the easiest of roads and Rob has insights to share regarding resilience across many aspects of the food chain.

Graeme Sait – Nutri-Tech Solutions

Graeme Sait, co-founder of QLD Company, Nutri-Tech Solutions (NTS), a recognised world leader in sustainable agriculture/horticulture, arguably knows more about nutrition farming than anyone. But at Agvention hear about Graeme and partner Claudia’s foray into farming and the hard truth that success unfortunately isn’t just about growing the most incredible, nutrient dense apples – there is so much more to navigate – commodity mentality and pricing, shelf life, logistics and what happens when all the birds in the neighbourhood realise your apples are the tastiest.

Tom Bjorksten – Misty Creek Agroforestry

Tom grew up on a cattle farm in the Central West of NSW, but like many of his peers, decided to leave the farm and pursue a career in the city. The agriculture he was exposed to was disconnected to both the land and people, and did not seem an attractive way of life.

But city life turned out not to be for him and with wife Nicole, Tom purchased a 28 acre property and the couple began their exploration into agroforestry, stacked enterprises and holistic management.

Floods, cancelled markets and being small in a commodity driven market are all challenges that Tom and Nicole have had to overcome but Tom does not have visions of growth for growth’s sake – buying more land and building an empire.  Instead the focus is on profitability, personal fulfillment and ever building ecological health, diversity and resilience.

Paul Martin – Summerland Camels

Turning a boutique passion into a viable business requires creativity, passion and resilience. Growing up in Springsure in central Queensland, on 40,000 acres of cattle country and grain cropping wheat. Paul didn’t have any experience with dairy farming beyond milking the house cow.

After studying at the Gatton, Paul headed west once more and embarked on a regenerative agriculture journey, which led him to camels.  Wanting to add more diversity back into the grazing livestock landscape, camels offered a unique solution because they eat different plants, and their urine and manure has different impacts on the environment. With a growing admiration for these animals, considered by many to be a bane on the Australian landscape, Paul started to think more about what he could do with camels. At the time, dairy allergies – particularly eczema and psoriasis – were increasing in the community. Perhaps a camel dairy to help fill a gap in the market, as camel milk is considered a safe alternative for those suffering from dairy allergies? But when the banks said no to the idea – Paul had to think outside the square to attract funding.  Summer Land dairy in the Scenic Rim is now 800 acres and 450 camels, with about 800 total in the supply chain. Predominantly a tourism operator, they are working to grow the dairy and milk production, and grow public interest in camel milk products – not just food and drinks – like milk, cheese, gelato, chocolate – but also skincare products and something unique: camel milk and honey vodka, which has won a few awards!

Sam Gorringe

Sam Gorringe is a third-generation dairy farmer turned financial educator, passionate about helping farming families build lasting security. Drawing on over a decade of experience delivering workshops and working alongside Brian Costello, Sam shares practical, data-driven strategies that empower farmers to drought-proof their operations and make wealth work for the bush.

Hamish Andrews – Forage Farms & Tarwyn Park Training

Hamish is from regenerative ag royalty. Grandson of Natural Sequence Farming Methodology founder Peter Andrews and son of Tarwyn Park Training Founder Stuart Andrews. But the journey hasn’t necessarily been all roses for the Andrews family – dealing with industry and community opposition and red tape.  With a clear vision and conviction of their ability to create positive environmental and agricultural outcomes, Hamish is now driving opportunity for other farmers to collaborate and succeed.

Neil & Jan Adele Reinke

Rod O’Connell

Rod grew up on a sheep and cattle property in central western Queensland and studied in Townsville. He worked as a chartered accountant in Brisbane for 42 years, running his own practice from 1978 to 2015. Since then, he has lived on a small farm in the Scenic Rim, applying regenerative agriculture and subtle energy practices. Passionate about alternative health, Rod believes in the wider use of subtle energy healing, especially for clearing negative energies from recent social and economic disruptions.

Rob Watson – Mungalli Milk

The Mungalli story began over 30 years ago when Rob and Danny Watson took over the family farm. At the time the farm was conventionally managed, but as Rob says, he tried the fertilisers and poisons – it just didn’t feel right. Instead the farming brothers decided to try something new, much to their father’s horror.

No poisons, no fertilisers and certainly no pesticides. Just the best organic farming practices so that everything grew as nature intended. But they still weren’t satisfied. They continued to search for the best way to farm sustainably. And then they came across Biodynamics. Biodynamics focuses on maintaining a healthy and vital relationship between the soil, the animals, the environment and the people. It meant that the farm wasn’t just cows and pasture but one big living organism. It was as much a part of the natural environment as the world heritage listed rainforest that surrounded them.

Someone forgot to tell the brothers that the Dairy industry is dying and through collaboration with other local growers they now have grown from being a farmer supplier to the local cooperative, to a small hobby cheesery, to a stand-alone niche dairy processor. The Mungalli story is one integrity and staying true to a vision that makes the world better.

Your MC – Nick Holliday

Back by popular demand, Nick’s reputation (and his Belvedere Farm Instagram account) precede him as an agroecologist on a mission!  Polarising to some, a hero to many; who better than this legally trained, pig farming activist to keep our day on track?