MLA managing director Jason Strong will be a guest speaker at the 2021 MerinoLink conference.

AUSTRALIA’S premier Merino conference MerinoLink at Wagga Wagga will return in 2021 with an extended three-day program, including an on-farm field day.

The conference and field day program from 16-18 June will also feature Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Jason Strong as a guest speaker for the first time.

The conference will start with a lead-in session on Wednesday that will include an on-farm wether inspection with Craig Wilson from the Australian Merino Production Trial, a Sheep Genetics’ breeders update with Emma McCrabb, a Business Edge session with Holmes and Sackett’s John Francis and Mentor Meet-Up when Hour-of-Power applicants will be introduced to conference mentors.

MerinoLink conference co-ordinator Emma Grabham said the diverse Thursday conference program this year will cover industry topics and also includes some climate and pasture-based speakers on issues that relate to Merinos.

Key speakers will include director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University Professor Mark Howden, consultant Phil Graham on pasture resilience and Sandy McEachern from Holmes Sackett talking about grazing crops.

Chair of the Sheep Sustainability Steering Group, Professor Bruce Allworth, is expected to give an update on the Sheep Sustainability Framework when he talks on Thursday afternoon.

Conference participants will get an update on Merino Lifetime Productivity Project, learn about pre-joining ram testing from Tom Graham and wool forward marketing from Mike Avery from South Aurora Markets.

A field day program is being developed for Friday 18 June that will include sessions at the Graham Centre, the NSW DPI Research Centre and Charles Sturt University, local industry providers and equipment manufacturers and a meat quality option.

The 2020 MerinoLink conference was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Click here for the full conference program and registration details.