For the first time, Seed and Grain New Zealand and the Australian Seed Federation (ASF) joined forces for a joint Seed Business 2025 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
This collaboration was sparked by a need to better connect leaders across the Australian and New Zealand seed sectors.
ASF chief executive Katherine Delbridge said it was a fantastic week we in Christchurch.
“Seed Business 2025 brought together almost 300 participants from across Australia and New Zealand for four action-packed days, marking the inaugural joint trans-Tasman convention for the seed industry.
“From expert panels and keynote addresses to field tours and plenty of networking, the energy and enthusiasm made it clear: this one was a hit,” she says.
Seed Business is the annual convention held by the Australian Seed Federation in different locations around Australia.
The convention brings together a range of seed industry professionals, business owners, producers and all the business in between which make up the seed supply chain in Australia.
ASF president Tim March summed up the event: “Seed Business 2025 showed just how much we can achieve by coming together as two industries”.
“The energy, the openness, and the willingness to share ideas made it clear Australia and New Zealand’s seed sectors have a strong future working side by side,” Tim adds.
Outgoing SGNZ president Charlotte Connoley agreed.
“This event was a chance to build deeper connections across the Tasman,” she says.
“It reinforces the value of working collectively – learning from each other and identifying where we can grow together.”
Each year a prestigious gala dinner is held for convention delegates and 2025 did not disappoint.
Held in the historic Christchurch Town Hall, the dinner gave delegates a chance to celebrate achievements and strengthen connections and also recognised and presented a number of awards including best exhibitor booth, women in seed, emerging leader, and ASF president’s award.
“We would also like to say a big thank you to our premium sponsor Anysort, whose support made the dinner a night to remember,” Katherine says.
SGNZ also awarded life membership to John McKenzie, former chief executive of PGG Wrightston, for his decades of service and leadership in New Zealand’s seed sector.
“From the friendly rivalry of the seed business challenge to the buzz of the cocktail functions and the warmth of the gala dinner, the week was about building and strengthening relationships,” Katherine says.
“Delegates left Christchurch with new contacts, stronger partnerships, and plenty of shared laughs along the way,” she says.
The SGNZ team presented a range of field tours giving delegates a chance to see the industry in action across the Canterbury Plains.
The program also gave space for new ideas and new voices with the Young Radicles Breakfast inspiring the next generation of leaders, while sessions such as the gene technology forum provided a platform for deep technical conversations and future-focused thinking.
Seed Business 2025 was a forum for tackling the challenges and opportunities which matter most to the industry – from the Hon Nicola Grigg’s ministerial address to panels on innovation, regulation, and Trans-Tasman collaboration, it set the stage for practical discussions about the future of the industry and how its two peak bodies can effectively work together.
“None of this would have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, supporters and exhibitors, led by our premium sponsor, Anysort,” Katherine says.
“And to everyone who attended, spoke, exhibited and connected: you made this inaugural trans-Tasman event one to remember. We’ll see you next time,” she says.
More details from ausseed.org.au and nzgsta.co.nz
