2019 Agriculture Scholar

2021 BBM Pilot Scholar

My purpose is to produce food for the world in the most efficient and sustainable way that also improves soil quality.

I am a 3-year graduate from Longerenong Agricultural College.

I currently work on a family farm in Gerang Gerung, Victoria, which is mostly a grain farm with a few sheep. I do all tasks associated with day-to-day work on the farm.

What excites me most about the BBM Pilot Scholarship is the opportunity to learn new things about myself and the others in the pilot program.

During my scholarship I will focus on learning more about sustainability in agriculture, especially innovations that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals #12 “Responsible Consumption and Production” and #15 “Life on Land”.

One of the things that really excites me in my industry is working with new technology that will improve sustainability and be better for the production of grain.

Working closely with my mentor, William Harrington, will help me develop a different perspective and further my knowledge in this area. Hopefully, we will develop a lifelong relationship of learning, guidance and outlook.

My story

What your goal/s are for the mentoring relationship

I started studying at Longerenong Agricultural College (Longy) at the end of Year 11, with the idea that finishing Year 12 would not further my skills needed to pursue a career in the ever-growing industry. I have had two work placement blocks in the two years of study at Longy on farms in Australia.  

I have always been interested in farming and new technology, I believe that the future is being able to supply the world more sustainably, especially in agriculture. I had been going to the Longerenong open day since Year 8 and every year kept confirming that this is what I wanted to do. At the end of my study, I would like to start and operate my own contracting business, whether that be in sowing, harvesting or baling hay. 

For my third year, I would like to broaden my horizons and get something different out of the learning time – as the farms in Australia have been similar to each other. I am hoping to find different opinions and ideas that may work in our environment in Australia. 

I want to bring back my new skills and knowledge to Australia and incorporate it into my future in agriculture sharing with colleagues and friends. Controlled traffic is relevant to Australia as we are a dry country and every bit of soil moisture is important. Finding out if it is similar in a different part of the world is interesting to me. 

My ideal location for making the most out of the BBM Scholarship is Canada. Canada has a completely different growing season – they sow just before late spring, early summer, whereas here in Australia we sow late autumn, early winter. The growing season is also much shorter in Canada; being able to grow a crop in a shorter time within Australia would be something to look into as you could harvest before the frost destroys crops. The Canadian weather conditions are a lot colder and they have snow to combat with, which is very different from Australia. This will be experience like no other, completely different from what I’m used to.