About Future Fields
Future Fields is an industry strategic plan, but with a difference.
While the strategy enjoys the explicit support of the Queensland Government, it is not a government document and nor will the actions arising from Future Fields necessarily rely on further government support or funding.
Future Fields is about the horticulture industry and supply chain partners coming together and taking their futures into their own hands.
This approach is underpinned by the understanding that people who take responsibility in a situation have the best chance of taking actions which will make a difference.
With a broad scope, we’ll be focussing our attention on just a few key fields where there’s big gains to be made, multiple parties coming together and solutions that require collaboration.
Why now?
While COVID-19 has caused enormous pain and disruption, it will also continue to create opportunity for those ready and willing to adapt.
The pandemic has kept our focus on the present. It’s essential as a sector we now raise our sights to the future. We are in a race. The winners over the next ten years are being determined today.
Future Fields will ensure Queensland remains the preeminent state for horticultural production, supply chain innovation and food processing, and that we continue to attract investment from interstate and overseas.
How can I get involved?
To be successful Future Fields must be owned by all stakeholders with a role to play in bringing its vision to life, including growers, their suppliers, their buyers, government agencies, and those in research, banking, insurance, logistics, marketing and processing.
So we are designing an open engagement process, with multiple opportunities for you to influence the direction of the strategy and identify those key fields for us all to focus on.
Future Fields Survey
All interested parties are encouraged to complete a short four-question survey to ensure we’ve captured as many views as possible in narrowing our attention down to just four distinct fields, comprising our most significant strategic challenges and opportunities, that we’ll focus on through Future Fields.
We’re also asking respondents to share their own vision for the industry and supply chain, and identify how we should measure our success.
The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Regional Workshops
We are running workshops for each of the major horticulture production regions in Queensland, held both virtually and in location, so that every grower and supply chain stakeholder will have an opportunity to influence the direction of Future Fields.
Through November we have been grateful to receive strong interest and engagement at workshops in Bundaberg, Mundubbera, Bowen, South Johnstone and Mareeba. Thanks to all attendees for their contributions.
Details of the remaining workshops will be released soon, including in the Lockyer Valley, on the Granite Belt and at the Sunshine Coast in early 2022.
How can I keep up to date?
For all the latest Future Fields news and information, including registration details for the summit and opportunities to influence the direction of the strategy through regional workshops around Queensland, subscribe for regular updates and join the Facebook group.
Who is helping lead the way?
Future Fields Advisory Committee
An advisory committee of a dozen eminent experts and industry leaders from across Queensland and the fresh produce sector and supply chain has been appointed to help guide the development of Future Fields.
The role of the Advisory Committee will be to help identify key stakeholders and bring them together around the table, to engender broad ownership of Future Fields, to promote a spirit of openness and optimism through the engagement process, and to inform the direction and focus of the strategy.
We are sincerely grateful for the commitment of time, skill and insight each of our Advisory Committee members are making to Future Fields.
Read our media release announcing the Advisory Committee for more detail on its members.
Tony Kelly
Fabian Carniel
Emma Greenhatch
John Corbett
Liz Alexander
Debbie Smith
Belinda Frentz
Sarah Corcoran
Ben Martin
Angus Ferrier
Neena Mitter
Bob Gee
Who is helping lead the way?
Future Fields Leaders
In parallel with developing the content of Future Fields, we are also developing the capability of a network of key people, able to work together, for the long-term success of the fresh produce sector and supply chain, as outlined in the strategy.
Future Fields Leaders are a group of approximately a dozen doers, who will be reaching out to key stakeholders, leading engagement, and seeking agreement on actions to be taken.
Future Field Leaders are being identified through an expression of interest process which has closed as of Friday 26 November. Successful candidates will be announced soon.
The expression of interest form takes just 10 minutes to complete. We want to hear about what strategic opportunity you want to tackle for the good of the industry.
For more detail on the Future Fields Leader role and its responsibilities please refer to the Terms of Reference.
Media
Media release – 01/12/2021 – Brains trust puts mind to future produce
Column – 30/11/2021 – Pacific labour programs on the improve
Column – 23/11/2021 – The smart state for horticulture
Column – 16/11/2021 – Conditions ripe for greater collaboration
Media Release – 10/11/2021 – Calling all North Queensland fresh produce people: We want to hear from you!
Column – 8/11/2021 – Growers and workers alike wear the cost of piecemeal piecerate decision
Column – 1/11/2021 – Agtech value depends on data
Column – 26/10/2021 – Future Fields in a town near you
Media release – 20/10/2021 – Historic summit kicks off fresh produce plan
Column – 18/10/2021 – Lifting lockdowns but supply chain pain remains
Column – 13/10/2021 – Fair COP for Horticulture
Column – 05/10/2021 – Fresh produce assembles for historic summit
Column – 28/09/2021 – A strategic plan for fresh produce
Media Release – 30/09/2021 – The future of fresh produce is in our hands
Facilitator
The development and delivery of Future Fields is being facilitated on behalf of the Queensland fresh produce sector and supply chain by Growcom, the peak body the peak body representing the state’s fruit, vegetable and nut growers.
Growcom delivers services across the entire horticulture industry, to businesses and organisations of all commodities, sizes and regions, and across the value chain. While we are Queensland-based, Growcom delivers national-scale projects and policy initiatives.
We are being ably assisted in the development of Future Fields by the below partners and supporters.
Partners
Supporters
Future Fields is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.
Future Fields’ Regional Workshops are proudly supported and sponsored by Sunsuper.