Lockhart grain grower David Gooden was one of three farmers from southern NSW awarded a scholarship in the Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarship Program.
Across Australia, 18 Nuffield Scholarships were awarded to young people involved in farming, giving them a wonderful opportunity to advance their skills and knowledge in agriculture.
Each scholarship is valued at $27,000 and allows young Australian primary producers the opportunity to travel internationally and explore agricultural issues and opportunities in a global context.
Nuffield Australia CEO Mr Jim Geltch said many Nuffield Scholars had gone on to
become active leaders in agriculture and the community.
“For many, the scholarship experience has changed their lives by opening their eyes to the wider world and giving them the confidence to pursue their goals,” Mr Geltch said.
Joining Mr Gooden from southern NSW are Alastair Starritt from Womboota (near Moama) and Brad Stillard from Barooga.
Mr Gooden will use his scholarship, sponsored by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), to investigate herbicide use in broadacre grain cropping.
As one of three directors of Agoodco Farm, a 3600ha family operated farm at Lockhart, Mr Gooden is keen to investigate ways to continue improving the management of the property.
The enterprise uses a controlled-traffic farming system with stubble retention in the production of cereals, canola, legumes and green manure crops.
“Broadacre agriculture is a large user of agricultural chemicals, especially given the growth of no-till farming in Australia.
“I want to study ways to improve the effective application of chemicals - how to reduce drift or losses, how water quality affects the uptake of chemicals by plants, and how adjuvants affect spray droplet adhesion, spread, and uptake.
“I would also like to investigate how other countries regulate the safe and productive use of chemicals in agriculture and manage the potential conflict with environmental or urban interests,” said Mr Gooden.
Mr Starritt was also supported by the GRDC and will use his scholarship to study how to measure and improve soil carbon and potential carbon market opportunities, a keenly debated issue at the moment.
He is a partner in his family’s mixed livestock and cropping business, at Womboota, in the southern Riverina. They run a 2500-head Merino flock and 2500 first-cross ewes for prime lamb production across 4000ha, with cropping focused on winter cereals, canola and lucerne hay. Their production is based on biological farming systems to maintain and improve soil health.
As a contrast, Mr Stillard’s Nuffield Scholarship was supported by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) using a voluntary contribution from the Australian Processing Tomato Growers and matched funds from the Australian Government.
He will study the management of water quality, salinity and micronutrients in tomato production.
Mr Stillard is self-employed, managing an 800ha family farm in partnership with his father near Barooga. The farm produces 3500 tonnes of processing tomatoes annually using drip irrigation, runs 100 to 150 head of beef cattle, and has 400ha of winter cereals and oilseeds.
The 2010 Australian Nuffield Scholars will undertake a compulsory Global Focus Program next year, involving travel to China, North America, South America, Middle East, India and Europe investigating agricultural marketing and trade issues, environmental issues and experiencing the different social and cultural aspects of each region.
Sharing their research findings is an important part of the scholarship program.
Nuffield Australia Chairman David Brownhill said the number of scholarships awarded has tripled during the past decade, as a wider range of industries within the primary industry sector increase their investment in innovation, leadership, and networking
capacity.
“Nuffield is focused on developing the practical, managerial and commercial capabilities of each scholar to enable them to be better producers and to make a significant contribution to the future of Australian agriculture,” Mr Brownhill said.
The opportunity presented to these three southern Riverina primary producers will see benefits for both the farming and rural communities they come from.
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