‘FROM Data to Dollars: Turning AI into Real Farm Value’ will be the theme of the Livestock 2026 conference in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, next month.

Registrations are now open for Livestock 2026, the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council’s (SALRC) biennial conference, to be held at The Range Function Centre in Wagga Wagga, on 21-22 October.

The conference will bring together producers, advisers, researchers, technology providers and industry leaders to explore how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can deliver practical benefits for southern Australian livestock enterprises.

SALRC said Livestock 2026 will focus on the real-world application of these technologies and the value they can deliver on farm through improved productivity, decision-making, animal health, labour efficiency and profitability.

Dr Sue Hatcher. Image – SALRC.

SALRC chair Dr Sue Hatcher said the conference is about much more than showcasing new technology.

“Technology is evolving rapidly, but the real question for producers is how these tools can deliver value in commercial farming systems,” Dr Hatcher said.

“Livestock 2026 will bring together the people developing these technologies with the producers and advisers who will ultimately decide whether they are useful, practical and worth adopting.”

The conference will also provide producers with an opportunity to help shape future research, development, adoption and extension (RDA&E) priorities for artificial intelligence and agtech across southern Australia’s livestock industries.

“The conversations and feedback from producers during the conference will help inform future RDA&E priorities and ensure investment remains focused on solving real industry challenges,” Dr Hatcher said.

The conference program has been developed around four priority areas identified by SALRC and industry stakeholders: Livestock productivity and labour efficiency, feedbase intelligence, animal health and welfare monitoring, and; integrated AI-supported decision making.

Speakers will showcase practical examples of technologies already being applied in livestock systems alongside emerging research and innovation.

Speakers include Dr Megan Verdon (University of Tasmania), David Nation (Halter), Professor David Lamb (Food Agility CRC), Dr Warwick Badgery (NSW DPIRD), Dr Sabrina Greenwood (CSIRO), Dr Thomas Williams (Central Queensland University) and Aaron Meikle (Beef + Lamb New Zealand). Producer perspectives will also feature prominently throughout the program.

SALRC said panel discussions and interactive sessions have been designed to encourage engagement between producers, researchers, consultants and technology providers, creating opportunities to discuss both emerging technologies and the challenges associated with their successful adoption on farm.

Sessions will cover topics including virtual fencing, remote pasture monitoring, livestock monitoring technologies, AI-assisted decision making and integrated farm data systems, with a focus on practical implementation and commercial outcomes.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to participate in optional pre- and post-conference tours.

The pre-conference tour will visit Charles Sturt University’s Global Digital Farm to see how livestock, pasture and environmental data are collected, integrated and used to support management decisions in commercial beef and sheep enterprises. The tour will provide a firsthand look at digital technologies being used in real farming systems.

The post-conference tour will visit the Pasture Trial Network (PTN) field site at Wagga Wagga, providing participants with an opportunity to learn about pasture evaluation methodologies and view pasture species being assessed for Riverina production systems.

Livestock 2026 will also feature the SALRC Awards Dinner and a Future Voices in Livestock Scholarship panel session, showcasing the ideas and perspectives of emerging industry leaders from across southern Australia.

Dr Hatcher encouraged sheep and beef producers, advisers, researchers, agtech innovators and industry organisations to take part.

“Livestock 2026 is an opportunity to hear from leading experts, connect with industry colleagues and have a voice in shaping the future direction of AI and agtech research, development and adoption for southern livestock enterprises,” she said.

“As an industry, we need to ensure technology development remains grounded in producer needs and delivers practical benefits on farm. This conference is about helping turn data into dollars and ensuring innovation creates real value for livestock businesses.”

For more information, to view the conference program or register, visit the SALRC Livestock 2026 conference website.