This most recent Poultry Information Exchange (PIX) was a significant one for the poultry meat and egg industries’ as they celebrated ‘50 Years of PIX’.

The conference certainly isn’t getting any smaller with a record number of attendees and exhibitors attending this year.

PIX is not only a forum for producers and associated agribusinesses to catch up, network and showcase the latest technology and research, but also an opportunity for the industry to recognise it’s best and brightest.

In recognition of celebrating 50 years and those past and present committee members who have worked hard to make PIX the success it is today, many previous committee members were invited along to the gala dinner. Geof Runge was awarded the inaugural Life Membership of the PIX Committee for his involvement over the decades and regaled guests at the dinner with stories from across the five decades.

Kelly McTavish from Inghams Enterprises and John Millard of Darwalla Group were the equally deserving recipients of the Jack Houweling award which recognises high achievers in the chicken meat industry. They both received a $10,000 bursary each to undertake an industry related study tour.

While Dr Julie Roberts was this year’s Lindsay Bell Australian Egg Industry Award recipient after making a significant contribution to the operating environment of the Australian egg industry with her work in the factors affecting egg shell quality in laying hens, egg quality and food safety.

This year a particularly special accolade was added to the list, the Agrifutures Gary Sansom postgraduate Scholarship. Established in honour of former QFF President and RIRDC Chicken Meat Advisory Panel Chair the scholarship aims to uncover future chicken meat industry leaders. This year, University of Adelaide Honours student Ashlee Morgan was awarded the inaugural scholarship for her research project on understanding factors for attracting and retaining youth in the poultry industry, a topic we know Gary was passionate about.

We congratulate the industry on another successful showcase and look forward to celebrating their strengths again in two years time.

Mick Keogh from the ACCC in the opening session “Fairness from Farmers to Consumers”.