Hi, I’m Mitchell Salan and I was born and bred on the family farm at Yarragundry, an area close by to Wagga Wagga in Southern NSW.
Growing up on a small, 4th generation mixed farming enterprise of sheep and cropping, I was hooked on a future in agriculture from the beginning, despite the perception of its scale. Continuing my education through agriculture in high school, I was able to begin the process of linking the theoretical to the practical. Fast-track to university life, my degree studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Science has further helped me understand the management behind the processes, where I have found my passion towards pastures, agronomy, and livestock.
This career path has been ignited through my passion for both livestock optimisation and plant production, where an integrated position as a livestock agronomist would hopefully place me in a more specialised advisory position.
Being awarded the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship means another steppingstone towards connections and relationships that can expose me to new opportunities in the industry. This is an exciting prospect, with the power of these associations through the program to take me further than I could individually. As such, its ability to guide me through specialising in both livestock and pastures/cropping will be invaluable.
Partnering with Dairy Australia and learning the intensive components within the industry will allow me to branch out and explore the possibilities in pastures and dairy cattle. Although the long-term industry relationships formed with Dairy Australia will be the most valued aspect of the experience.