Organic Insights Magazine - Summer 2022

20 / Organic Insights / Summer 2022

fair farms conference THE FAIR FARMS NATIONAL CONFERENCE & AWARDS WAS HELD ON THE 14TH OF OCTOBER 2022 IN COFFS HARBOUR

The conference featured presentations, panel discussions and Q&A sessions on a range of WR/WHS issues - including ethical sourcing, labour access and retention, workplace legislative changes and ESG, as well as highlighting successful practices through a series of case study examples. Keynote speaker was Winter Olympic Gold Medallist, Steven Bradbury OAM who offered a fresh take on success, with discussion around teamwork and the risk versus reward equation that influences our actions every day, at a personal level and in the workplace. Conference speakers included The Honourable David Littleproud MP, Executive Director of Enforcement FWO Steve Ronson,

Dr James Cockayne NSW Anti- Slavery Commissioner, and Rachel Mackenzie of Berries Australia. Rachel received an inaugural Fair Farms Recognition Award, along with Workplace relations advisor and HSEQ auditor, Shane Stirling , in recognition of their contribution to the betterment of the program and industry’s approach to horticulture workplace relations. Fair Farms Certified Growers Sunripe took out the Fair Farmer of the Year Award. “The main takeaway from the conference was the fact we were able to get a room of growers, industry experts, government body representatives, politicians, and HR experts together to discuss one thing – horticulture workplace relations,” says

Fair Farms National Program Manager, Sachin Ayachit. “I never would have imagined that what started out as a small concept idea for celebrating the Fair Farms Programwith just our growers, would grow into something involving the greater horticulture industry,” he says. “This reflects widespread grassroots support across the horticulture industry to enhance the transparency of workplace practices.” Further Information Find out more about Fair Farms certification in our previous Spring 2022 edition of Organic Insights.