EVENTS: February Meeting Biotechnology: what does it mean for Victoria? Eighteen months ago, Monsanto's Roundup Ready® canola entered the Victorian market with the state government's controversial lifting of its ban on genetically modified crops. At the Rural Press Club of Victoria's February breakfast meeting, new Monsanto Country Lead Peter O'Keeffe will discuss what this has meant for growers and what biotechnology, more generally, will mean for the future of agriculture. He'll outline the broader benefits of adopting this new technology, including grower's feedback on their experience with this commercially-grown product to date. Peter grew up on a broad-acre farm in Queensland and as a research agronomist, has worked in South Australia and Tasmania before joining Nufarm. He moved to Monsanto in 2008. This will be Peter's first public address since GM Canola was introduced commercially in Victoria. Please click here to download the meeting notice. Please click here to make a booking. Registrations are now open for the 2010 Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ). The 54th annual congress IFAJ 2010 will be hosted by the Belgian association of Agricultural Journalists (BVLJ-ABJA), a founding member of IFAJ. The BVLJ-ABJA welcomes you at the Belgian seaside in the marvellous Thermae Palace hotel from April 17 until April 21. The theme of the congress is "Between passion & pressure". Australian Council for Agricultural Journalists members have the opportunity to attend the Congress and through the Rural Press Club of Victoria, enter the associated awards. To visit the IFAJ2010 website, click here. 2009-10 Sponsors The Rural Press Club of Victoria gratefully acknowledges the support provided by all of its sponsors. They include: Rural Finance Telstra Victorian Farmers Federation Department of Sustainability and Environment Transport Accident Commission Rural Workforce Agency Victoria Red Handed Stock & Land The Weekly Times To find out more about our sponsors, please go to the 'about us' section of this website.