The Australian Almond Research and Development Forum was held in Robinvale last month, drawing more than 350 participants from the Riverina, Goulburn Valley, Riverland, and Adelaide Plains. The two-day event, hosted at the Robinvale Community Centre, featured technical presentations, field sessions, and industry discussions.
According to the Almond Board of Australia (ABA), the event aimed to combine hands-on learning with research presentations at a central industry location. ABA Chief Executive Officer Tim Jackson said, "We wanted to stage an event that provided a combination of hands-on learning opportunities as well as a range of presentations at one of the most central locations in the industry. Robinvale fitted the bill perfectly and was certainly buzzing on the Tuesday and Wednesday."
© Almond Board Australia
Jackson added that the ABA has built a strong relationship with the local community through previous participation in the Mallee Blossom Festival, noting this was the second forum in two years held in Robinvale.
More than half of Australia's almond production takes place in the Sunraysia region, which stretches from the South Australian border to Tooleybuc. Field trips on the first day were hosted at nearby orchards, where participants focused on spray equipment efficiency and integrated pest and disease management.
A graduation ceremony was held for eight participants of the inaugural Growing Almond Leaders Program, which equips representatives with leadership skills for roles within the industry. Each participant presented a poster on an industry issue, displayed at the forum.
Presentations throughout the event covered a range of research and production topics. David Haviland from the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, shared research from the United States on sustainable pest management in almonds. Other sessions examined almond quality and control measures against the Carpophilus truncatus beetle.
Weather and drought resilience were also discussed, including research by South Australian teams studying how almond orchards respond to dry conditions and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning for improved weather forecasting.
© Almond Board Australia
The Almond Board of Australia also introduced the Almond Hort360 self-assessment portal, which helps growers evaluate farm practices and identify areas for improvement. Early users shared examples of operational changes made after completing the program modules.
Additional sessions covered plant breeding, pollination, agrichemicals, and new technologies designed to support better management decisions at the farm level.
The Victorian Country Hour on ABC Radio broadcast live from the event, with presenter Warwick Long interviewing growers and stakeholders about current industry developments.
© Almond Board AustraliaFor more information:
The Almond Board of Australia
Tel: +61 (0) 8 8584 7053
www.almondboard.org.au
