My passion for the agricultural industry was established in Pinnaroo, where I grew up on my family’s broadacre property, producing wheat, barley, lentils, and merino sheep. I have always loved living in a small town and helping around the farm, however I didn’t realise the true value until graduating high school.
In my first year out of school, I started studying veterinary technology, however early on I realised, despite my interest in animal health, it was not the industry I wanted to work in. For the remainder of the year, I sought out work in many agricultural settings before working at Viterra as a grain classifier for 6 months during harvest and non-harvest periods.
During these working experiences, I realised the extensive opportunities available in agriculture and loved the sense of community the industry holds. These experiences and my degree have confirmed my passion.
Coming from a property in the Southern Mallee, I understand the impact of grains research and variety improvement to low rainfall areas. In the future I hope to gain satisfaction helping growers produce even when faced with unfavourable conditions, by working with varieties that have better water efficiency/disease tolerance.
I am very grateful to be a recipient of the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship and to be sponsored by Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). It is a privilege to be selected for this amazing opportunity to work alongside professionals at GRDC and for the guidance/experiences the program will provide. I recognise the importance of networking and building industry connections throughout my academic journey, adding value and perspective to my studies.