Nuffield scholars receive a $30,000 bursary to travel Australia and overseas to look at ideas, techniques and systems that could be bought back to Australia.
Nuffield Australia Chief Executive Officer and 2013 Scholar, Jodie Redcliffe, said the scholarships enable producers to learn about farming systems and innovations than can be game changers for Australian agriculture.
"Nuffield Australia opens the world up for people in agriculture who are brave enough to be out of their comfort zone," she said.
The Nuffield Scholars were announced this week at the Nuffield Australia Annual Awards Night and Nuffield Conference, held at Tamworth, New South Wales.
"We're so excited by this cohort of Nuffield Scholars. They're from a wide range of industries, cropping, fishing, livestock and tree nuts, and we've got every state and territory represented," Redcliffe said.
"All our scholars are tackling topics that are important to the sustainability of the industry they love, whether that's by optimising productivity, meeting market requirements, enhancing biosecurity, reducing chemical inputs, adapting to climate change or improving animal welfare," she said.
2023 Nuffield Scholars
Queensland
· Jarrod Cook from Stamford, has been awarded the Northern Pastoral Scholarship, supported collectively by the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC), Elders and S. Kidman & Co. Jarrod will study the best methods to prepare cattle for feedlot entry to optimise performance.
· Tessa Dimond from St George. Supported by GrainCorp, Tessa will gain a global perspective on how Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) affect Australian grain prices and access to international markets.
· Regan Lynch from Hughenden. Supported by Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia, Regan will explore ways to improve farm biosecurity attitudes and practices in the Northern Australian beef industry.
· Aimee Snowden currently works in Rockhampton, but hails from a family farm in southern NSW. Supported by AgriFutures Australia, she will study agriculture education models that drive immersive experiences and engage curious minds.
· Miriam Villen King from Bargara. Supported by the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), Miriam will study sustainable approaches to growing walnuts in Australia.
NSW
· Fiona Aveyard from Peak Hill. Supported by RAS Foundation (NSW), Fiona will explore how to incorporate value-add opportunities into the red meat industry.
· Tim Houston from Mungindi. Supported by Cotton Australia and the Cotton Research & Development Corporation, Tim will research how to sustainably transition land from grazing to cropping, including cotton.
· Nicole Logg from Barmedman. Supported by Australian Wool Innovation, Nicole will investigate nutritional options for supplementing sheep effectively.
· Jackie Morrison from McLeans Ridges. Supported by AgriFutures Australia, Jackie will study Integrated Pest Management and how it can support the Australian industry's fight against Varroa destructor mite.
Western Australia
· Daniel Dempster from Goomalling. Supported by Grains Research and Development Corporation, Daniel will explore the economic implications of adopting the agricultural farming practices focused on total soil cover, minimal soil disturbance, high plant species diversity and livestock incorporation.
· Rebecca Kelly from Mingenew. Supported by CBH Group, Rebecca will explore ways to help farmers in negotiations with energy companies, for example if they want to explore or extract resources from their land.
· Alys McKeough from Carnarvon. Supported by Meat & Livestock Australia, Alys will explore emerging technology to improve property-wide connectivity, which could boost efficiency and productivity along with improving rangeland condition in the pastoral industry.
South Australia
· Alexander Copper from Auburn. Supported by Nuffield South Australia, Alexander will study drought tolerant wine varieties that could be introduced to Australia.
· Sammy McIntyre from Parawa. Supported by Rabobank, Sammy will study how enriching feedlot environments to encourage natural behaviours can benefit the sheep industry.
Tasmania
· Iain Field from Copping. Supported by University of Tasmania and JM Roberts Charitable Trust, Iain will study how to increase ecological literacy and biodiversity on farms for sustainability.
· Joana Ferreira Mendes from Geeveston. Supported by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Joana will visit key aquaculture-producing countries and bring back insights and innovations to help the Australian industry farm fish more sustainably.
Northern Territory
· Jodie Mitchell from Newcastle Waters. Supported by the Northern Territory Government and ANZ Bank, Jodie will explore ways to improve raising young cattle in northern/sub-tropical environments.
Victoria
· Sarah Crosthwaite from Kergunyah South. Supported by the Gardiner Foundation, Sarah will study how different agricultural sectors across the world support their producers' mental health, especially in a changing climate.
ACT
Nuffield Australia and CSIRO have an established partnership that promotes understanding between Australian scientific research and our agricultural industry. In 2023, Dr Vivien (Viv) Rolland will be the sixth CSIRO scientist to participate in two key components of the Nuffield program: the Contemporary Scholars Conference (CSC) and the Global Focus Program (GFP).
