We're kicking off this year's event with a Classic Kiwi BBQ – taking it back to the grassroots!

Our Welcome Event is a relaxed and much-loved affair, offering a great chance to connect with fellow farmer suppliers in a casual setting. It’s all about good food, great company, and sharing stories.

The evening will again feature the final of the 2025 Silver Fern Farms Boning Competition – a highlight not to be missed!

Bringing family along?
If you have family or friends travelling with you who aren’t attending the full conference but would like to join us for the Welcome Evening ONLY, you can book additional tickets.

• Mihi Whakatau & Welcome
• Chief Executive’s Address – Dan Boulton

• Foresight, Strategy & Innovation – Roger Dennis, Polis
• Connecting with Premium Customers: The Partnership Development Process – Silver Fern Farms Customer Team

• The Three Cogs: Bringing Procurement, Processing and Sales to Life – Jarrod Stewart, Chief Supply Officer; Brenda Talacek, Chief Operating Officer; Dave Courtney, Chief Customer Officer
• Our Service To You – Jarrod Stewart, Chief Supply Officer
• Dairy Beef Breeding & Technology – Dr Richard Spelman, LIC

Choose 2 out of 4 breakout sessions. Each breakout is 50 minutes.

Adding Value Through the Wool Supply Chain
Wool should be a key component of sheep farmers income, and holds significant untapped potential. In this breakout session WoolWorks will share insights into the evolution of our wool sector, what international markets are really looking for, and how traceability, quality and environmental performance have become key differentiators for wool also. Understand how you can capture new opportunities for your wool clip, and align with brands and markets that care about the story behind the fibre.

Nature Positive Pays: Monetising On-Farm Stewardship through Nature Markets
As global demand grows for sustainable food and fibre and climate solutions, a new kind of market is emerging - nature markets. These markets reward farmers not just for what they grow, but for how they care for the land, water, and biodiversity. From product claims to carbon credits, biodiversity offsets to ecosystem services, nature markets are creating new income streams for those working closest with the land.
In this 50-minute introductory session, we’ll explore what nature markets are, why they matter, and how farmers can begin to engage with them.
We’ll also preview the farmer experience of Silver Fern Farms’ upcoming Nature Market pilot alongside the Toha Network.
Presented by: Nick Rowe –Head of Customer Innovation, Cat Rowe – Head of Nature Impact and Policy, Nat Whitaker – Co-founder, Toha Network, David Hall – Policy Director, Toha Network.

Future Proofing Your Farm Through NZFAP Plus
In this workshop our On-Farm Sustainability Team will walk attendees through the process to achieve Farm Assurance Plus Silver and Gold accreditation – perfect for those starting their NZFAP Plus Journey. With Silver Fern Farms’ On-Farm Sustainability Team.

Understanding Emissions Reduction Tools & Investment

Join Silver Fern Farms Sustainability Manager Matt Harcombe alongside Wayne McNee, CEO AgriZeroNZ to hear about the development of emissions reduction tools, investment and timelines, and how these might practically be implemented and incentivised. Learn more about the market pull for these actions and how Silver Fern Farms has worked with SBTi to set Scope 3 emissions targets.

• Global Trade & Tension: Our Role in a Changing Global Marketplace –Sara Meymand, Director of Trade Policy & Negotiations, MFAT; Stephen Jacobi, former diplomat & policy advisor; Dave Courtney, Chief Customer Officer; Fran O’Sullivan, Head of Business NZME (Chair)
• The Future of Our Red Meat Industry – Panel
• Co-operative Update – Anna Nelson, Chair of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative
• Q&A
• Wrap Up and Acknowledgements – Dan Boulton, Chief Executive

The Plate to Pasture Awards are our opportunity to recognise the outstanding farmers who live and breathe Nature Positive food production—those who truly understand what consumers value in high-quality red meat, and the care that goes into producing it.

Join us at Claudelands as we honour this year’s finalists and announce the overall winner of the 2025 Plate to Pasture Awards.

Waikawa Farms runs a high performing bull beef system on an intensive cell grazing system across 500 effective hectares. The NZFAP Plus certified farm is made up of a total of 580 hectares with 80 hectares of Native bush and pine plantation, finishing approximately 2000 R2 bulls a year.

Data and recording are an essential part of Neil's farming system along with his attention to detail and evident desire for continual improvement.

Neil is very well connected locally, and professionally holding or has held governance roles with FarmIQ, Silver Fern Farms, Beef and Lamb Farmer Council, FRAG, Monitor farms, Hub farms, Focus Farms etc. Neil regularly hosts both national and international visitors and diplomats.

Neil is supported by the Waikawa Farm Team made up of two staff and seven working dogs.

Lunch will be included at the end of the Farm Tour. Those who need to catch flights home will be returned to Hamilton Airport no later than 3.30pm for check-in.

Join us for an exciting farm innovation showcase in partnership with LIC and Halter. With LIC, you'll get an exclusive tour of their bull farm and an insightful talk on their methane barn. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions about genetics with LIC experts. With Halter, we'll visit one of their farms to see their innovative work in progress and experience their cutting-edge technology in the field. This is a unique chance to learn from industry leaders and see innovation in action.

Lunch will be included at the end of the showcase. Those who need to catch flights home will be returned to Hamilton Airport no later than 3pm for check-in.

Discover the art of creating delicious, wholesome meals using the freshest ingredients straight from the farm. Our expert chefs, including Nici Wickes, supported by training culinary students from the culinary school, will guide you through the journey of transforming locally-sourced produce into culinary masterpieces. This class, focusing on "Food for the Soul," promises to celebrate the essence of farm-fresh ingredients and soul-nourishing food.

Whether you love hunting or home-kill, our experienced butchers will guide you through the entire process. Unlock the secrets of expert butchery with Silver Fern Farms' own master butchers in this interactive masterclass. You’ll learn to prepare a carcass, walk through the different cuts, and perfect your knife skills.

Join us for an unforgettable BBQ class with Jared, whose BBQ journey began in 2008, inspired by a close friend from South Carolina. Jared's passion for BBQ has since flourished, leading him to establish successful BBQ food businesses, including More Better Barbecue and Octopit, a BBQ appliance manufacturer. In this class, Jared will focus on showing you how to showcase meat off the farm, sharing tips and tricks you wouldn't usually think of and more. He is excited to share his love for BBQ with you, so don't miss this opportunity to learn from a true BBQ enthusiast and master!