The Australian Society of Agronomy Inc. is the professional body for agronomists in Australia and New Zealand. It has approximately 500 active members drawn from government, universities, research organisations and the private sector.

The 20th Australian Agronomy Conference was held from Sunday September 18, to Thursday September 22, 2022. Held in Toowoomba at the Empire Theatre and The Goods Shed, the conference was originally scheduled to take place in October 2021, however, due to the pandemic, the conference was postponed initially to February 2022 and then again to September 2022.

The conference featured prominent international and national speakers who addressed various issues, such as the need to foster soil biology for enduring profitability, carbon sequestration, herbicide resistance and the interwoven relationships between food production, energy and the environment. The latest research findings were discussed and shared among 400 agronomists, both on-site and virtually, from Australia and around the world, as well as farmers, consultants, agribusinesses and farmer peak bodies.

Key outcomes

• The four-day conference was a successful hybrid event that allowed virtual delegates, on-site delegates and presenters to participate in every session and interact with each other through a purpose-built online portal and delegate app.
• The exhibition and all social functions took place at The Goods Shed, a 120-year-old heritage-listed Railway Goods Shed. As an empty space with limited facilities, Expert Events had to source and coordinate all venue requirements, including furniture, power, catering and cleaning, as well as the bump-in of large harvesting machinery.
• Four off-site field tours were included as part of the program and held at properties located throughout the Darling Downs.