Strong industry connections, practical innovation and evidence-based decision making were key themes at Hort Connections 2026, with the Tropical North Queensland Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (TNQ Drought Hub) bringing valuable insights back to the region.
Held in Adelaide from 1 to 4 June, Australia’s largest horticulture conference and trade show attracted almost 4,000 delegates, including more than 1,000 growers and 220 exhibitors. The event brought together producers, researchers, industry organisations and technology providers to explore practical solutions for the future of Australian horticulture.
Representing the TNQ Drought Hub, Digital Ag Innovation Consultant Kara Glenn-Worth met with organisations including the Victorian Drought Hub, the Australian Banana Growers’ Council and Freshcare to strengthen relationships and identify opportunities to support growers through innovation, industry standards and knowledge sharing.
The conference highlighted common challenges across the sector, including biosecurity, sustainability, workforce shortages, market access and technology adoption, while demonstrating the value of collaboration in tackling these issues.
“One of the biggest takeaways was seeing how much can be achieved when growers, industry organisations and researchers come together with a shared focus,” Kara said.
“Bringing so many key people together creates opportunities to build relationships, exchange ideas and identify practical solutions that can benefit producers well beyond the event.”
Technology demonstrations and grower case studies reinforced the importance of assessing new tools in real farming environments before making investment decisions. Rather than adopting technology because it is new, many discussions focused on understanding where it delivers genuine value for individual businesses.
“The strongest message throughout the conference was that innovation needs to solve real problems for producers,” Kara said.
“Growers are looking for practical, evidence-based information that helps them make confident decisions for their own operations. Every business is different, so it’s important to understand what works best in local conditions.”
The connections and knowledge gained at Hort Connections will help inform the TNQ Drought Hub’s ongoing extension activities, strengthen partnerships across the horticulture sector, and support the delivery of practical information and opportunities that help producers make informed decisions for the future.
