Leading agriculture industry figures, farmers and researchers gathered at the University of Western Australia on Wednesday night to discuss how to capitalise on $200 billion of growth in the sector.

Held by UWA’s Institute of Agriculture, the 20th Annual Industry Forum examined the sector on a broad scale and considered opportunities and hurdles faced by the industry and global market events that impact the Australian industry, now and in the future.

Speakers included Elders chief executive Mark Allison, WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis, Wilson International Trade director Peter Wilson, Rabobank general manager Stefan Vogel and Craig Mostyn Group chief executive Wayne Crofts.

Mr Allison told the forum farmers across the country were facing quietly building pressures despite their success in feeding about 75 million people each year.

“Agriculture is a global industry where our competitiveness is increasingly determined by domestic policy settings, energy, infrastructure, regulation, labour, and capital investment energy is becoming one of the more defining pressure on the agricultural supply chain,” he said.