What is the climate risk for farmers?

Climate risk in agriculture will be the focus of a workshop to be held at the West Gippsland Arts Centre next month.

What does climate change mean for farmers? What are the risks? What are the opportunities? What can farmers do?

These will be the questions addressed at a one day event on June 20.

It is a chance to hear from expert presenters and be part of the discussion about climate forecasts, practical actions to build farm resilience, carbon farming opportunities, legal and financial risks and more.

Keynote speaker will be Mark Howden, director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University.

Mark is honorary professor at Melbourne University, Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and member of the Australian National Climate Science Advisory Committee. Other speakers include: Sarah Baker – special counsel, climate change risk, in the Corporate Group at international law firm Minter Ellison, and a non-executive director at emergency services and state super.

Graeme Anderson – Climate change specialist with Agriculture Victoria

Richard Eckard – Professor and Dean of Research, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, the University of Melbourne

Andrew Watkins – Manager of Climate Prediction Services, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM)

Sallie Jones – Co-founder and managing director of Gippsland Jersey, an independent farmer-owned premium milk brand.

For more information about the event, contact Sam Shannon – Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator on sams@wgcma.vic.gov.au or 0409 944 114.