I grew up as the fifth generation on my family farm, which was originally citrus orchards until my parents introduced organic vegetables and free-range pigs. Growing up and working on our farm allowed me to develop a genuine passion for farming and developing sustainable farming practices.
I am highly passionate about improving soil and growing systems to such an extent where soils can supply the majority of a crop’s nutritional requirements, capture more water, and significantly suppress pest and disease, ultimately increasing the profitability of farming. After my degree, I want to follow my passion to help farmers improve their soil’s health by working as a consultant or agronomist that specialises in soil health.
Being awarded a Horizon Scholarship will allow me to connect with and learn from some of Australia’s best agriculturalists, accelerating me towards my goals of improving agricultural soils across Australia. Typically soils that are cropped have the biggest opportunity to be improved, and being sponsored by the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) will allow me to learn more about this system and the ways in which it can be improved by focusing on soil health.