AgForce conference and events manager, Wendy Allen, said the conference, which starts in Proserpine today, was all about focusing the future.

"That's our theme for our 2008 conference – focusing on all the issues which will impact on agriculture and rural communities into the future," Ms Allen said.

"Our delegates will hear from experts in their fields as we explore the wider public’s views on agriculture, what weather forecasting means for rural industry, the outlook for our commodities and planning for the future."

The keynote speaker for the conference is Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke.

Outgoing AgForce president Peter Kenny will deliver his final speech to his fellow AgForce members before handing over his role to John Cotter.

"We’ve added something new this year with a hands-on interactive session where our delegates can check out 10 new technologies and their potential for our rural industries," Ms Allen said.