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AgriFutures On Air

AgriFutures Australia

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The official podcast channel for AgriFutures Australia.

AgriFutures On Air

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Dairy made differently: alternative energy systems powering Pecora Dairy

Cressida and Michael Cains are award-winning cheesemakers in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, who have set up a peer-to-peer energy trading scheme that allows them to trade surplus energy from their solar panel and battery system. In this episode we will learn how they set their system up and the dramatic changes it meant for their business, including the goal of being energy positive on farm. The Cains are always looking for ways to innovate and are well on their way to becoming carbon neutral. In 2020 Cressida was the AgriFutures National Rural Women’s Award National Runner Up, and in 2021 she launched Dairy Cocoon, a not-for-profit digital platform and support hub which provides a pathway for willing dairy farmers to begin their journey up the value chain. The National Winner and Runner Up of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award will be announced at a Gala Dinner and National Announcement on Tuesday, 12 September 2023 at the Great Hall, Parliament House in Canberra. Tickets are now on sale, to read more visit: https://agrifutures.com.au/news/tickets-on-sale-rwa-gala-dinner-and-national-announcement/ Featuring: * Cressida Cains, Pecora Dairy farm owner and operator, 2022 Rural Women’s Award Runner Up. * Judy Kennedy, AgriFutures onAIR contributor at Judy Kennedy Media. Related content: * Future looks positive for NSW dairy’s energy trading system: https://agrifutures.com.au/news/future-looks-positive-for-nsw-dairys-energy-trading-system/ * Eight-part alternative energy series spurring Australian rural industries efforts to switch to renewables: https://agrifutures.com.au/news/eight-part-alternative-energy-series-spurring-australian-rural-industries-efforts-to-switch-to-renewables/ * AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner and Runner Up announced: https://agrifutures.com.au/news/agrifutures-rural-womens-award-national-winner-and-runner-up-announced/

An ag student’s exploration of Australia’s emerging industries

Meet Marieke Hoelscher, an inspiring Horizon Scholar who turned a gap year running camel tours into a career in Australia's emerging industries. She has completed placements in insect, industrial hemp, and native bee industries and is now pursuing a career in extension to work with emerging industry producers. Featuring: * Marieke Hoelscher, AgriFutures Horizon Scholar Related content: * 2022 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship winners announced: https://agrifutures.com.au/news/2022-agrifutures-horizon-scholarship-winners-announced/ * University student keen on camels, not cropping, bucks trend of her cohort: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-12-27/camels-over-cropping-for-csu-student-studying-agriculture/101726498

A tiny but harmful pest: how industry and researchers are tackling bluegreen aphids

Bluegreen aphids (Acyrthosiphon kondoi) are a major pest of lucerne and other legume crops. These tiny pests feed directly on the foliage, damaging the plant and spreading harmful viruses through crops. What’s more concerning is that the tiny insect has developed resistance to chemicals they’ve never been exposed to before, making the pest more difficult to control. Growers' concerns for bluegreen aphids launched a bottom-up research approach investigating chemical application failure in relation to the insect. To support the research project, Cesar Australia is calling on growers to send in samples of bluegreen aphids found in pasture seed paddocks. The research project is led by Cesar Australia and funded by AgriFutures Australia in partnership with Lucerne Australia. *Featuring:* * Emma Rodham, AgriFutures Pasture Seeds Program Manager * Dr Evatt Chirgwin, project lead * Katrina Copping, Executive Officer, Lucerne Australia *Related content:* * From paddock to the lab: send in your bluegreen aphid samples this Autumn - https://agrifutures.com.au/news/from-paddock-to-the-lab-send-in-your-bluegreen-aphid-samples-this-autumn/ * Growers asked to send in samples to tackle bluegreen aphid resistance - https://agrifutures.com.au/news/growers-help-tackle-bluegreen-aphids-insecticide-resistance/ * Grower concerns trigger research into bluegreen aphid resistance to insecticides - https://agrifutures.com.au/news/bluegreen-aphid-resistance-to-insecticides/

Yearling radiographs and post-sale endoscopies under the spotlight

In this episode of AgriFutures OnAir we bring you an interview from the ANZ Bloodstock News podcast, the Business of Bloodstock. In this podcast Dr Ben Ahearn discusses the fascinating research funded by AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horse Program Australia on endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract at Australian Thoroughbred yearling sales and an investigation of what radiographic lesions in thoroughbred yearlings are significant in limiting future racing performance project. Featuring: · Ben Ahearn, lead researcher and professor, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland.

Murray cod, an Australian native, is a sleeping giant in terms of market potential.

Murray cod is an iconic Australian fish species, prized by recreational anglers, Indigenous communities, and increasingly, seafood consumers. With the global and domestic unmet demand for premium white flesh fish increasing, the industry has thrown down the gauntlet setting an ambitious target of being a $100 million industry by 2050. To kick off season 3 of AgriFutures OnAir, this episode explores how the Murray Cod industry has evolved and how the industry plans on achieving its targets. Featuring: * Ian Lyall Program, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Leader Aquaculture * Matthew Ryan, Founder of Murray Cod Australia / Aquna.

Special edition evokeAG.: Accelerating transformation to achieve a more sustainable global food system

This month we are highlighting a number of podcasts from evokeAG. the region’s premier agrifood tech event, attracting the entire ecosystem – farmers, innovators, researchers, corporates, government and investors – to one location to connect and collaborate. Our global food system has a long history of evolution – responding to the changing needs of the global population. But "are we evolving fast enough?" In this evokeAG. podcast internationally recognised thought leader and AgriFutures evokeAG. 2023 speaker, Mary Shelman, speaks with contributor Casey Dunn about how we can accelerate our transformation, and achieve a more sustainable global food system. Mary will also join a panel discussion on Day two at evokeAG. 2023 to explore the global forces driving world trade in a discussion about climate, COVID-19, conflict and cost. We hope you enjoy their conversation. Hear more from Mary Shelman and her insights on achieving a sustainable global food system at the AgriFutures evokeAG. 2023 Down to Earth event on 21-22 February 2023 in Adelaide, South Australia. View the full two-day program, including all speakers and partners making evokeAG. 2023 possible.

Young winemaker looks to local ceramicists to make ancient vessels

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant recipient, Samantha Sutherland, is researching the potential for the local manufacture of amphoras, or clay based vessels traditionally associated with the ancient Mediterranean world, to store and transport wine, grapes, olives and olive oil, grain fish and other goods, The research has inspired her in rethinking her own wine label and wrapping up her Bachelor of Wine Science degree. Featuring: * Samantha Sutherland - AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant recipient * Judy Kennedy - Journalist

Student of the ocean relishes diverse experiences as Horizon Scholar

AgriFutures Horizon Scholar Luke Austin has always felt the pull towards a career in aquaculture. Growing up on the coast of Coffs Harbour he was afforded a curiosity into the development of a sustainable and robust industry from a young age. He’s excited about cultivating the development of innovative emerging aquatic industries to grow capacity and deliver new products and services that not only Australia will benefit from, but the world. *Featuring* * Luke Austin - AgriFutures Horizon Scholar * Judy Kennedy - Journalist

Rural women putting research into action

For decades there has been some incredible ground broken in agricultural science in Australia, but sometimes the extension side of it lets the team down. In this podcast we delve into how some women have been involved in a shift that means women’s roles in extension are not only more visible but more recognised and valued. Times are changing, and some of the Alumni of AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award are at the forefront. *Featuring* * Jeanette Gellard - 2001 SA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner * Danielle England - 2013 WA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner * Sally Martin - 2011 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Finalist * Emily Malone - Journalist

James Easter - 2022 Agricultural Student of the Year

James Easter is not only an aspiring agricultural science professional, but also a passionate advocate for the agricultural industry and the 2022 Ag Student of the Year, sponsored by AgriFutures Australia. The enthusiasm he has for his industry and the promotion of it is infectious. *Featuring:* * James Easter

Buzzing over new bee technology

AgriFutures Australia presented the inaugural Bee Tech Challenge this year seeking to identify ready-for-market products that addressed key industry areas of hive health, biosecurity, hive safety, bush fire protection and preparedness. The three winners were announced at the 4th Australian Bee Congress in Sydney. Our podcast host Jayne Cuddihy spoke with the winners on their new technology and how beekeepers are using innovative products to transform their industry and stay ahead of the game. *Featuring:* * Simon Burt, LB Agtech (BeeSTAR) * Simon Mildren, HiveKeepers * Omar Anwar, CRC for Honey Bee Products

What the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award means to me

Motherland Village is a simple and easily accessible mothers group service that every rural mum in Australia can access, regardless of where she lives, or how old her children are. In September this year, the Tassie local behind the platform, Stephanie Trethewey, was announced the 2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Winner. Stephanie talks about the Award and how it has helped her further enhance her mission to eliminate the crippling isolation faced by many mothers in rural, regional and remote communities. *Featuring: *2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Winner Stephanie Trethewey

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Rebecca Bradshaw

Rebecca is passionate about access to health services – no matter the postcode. Specialising in child health from 0 to 5 years, Rebecca launched her online telehealth platform, Rural Child Health at the beginning of 2021 – designed to give rural and remote parents the support and education they need to raise their families. *Featuring: *2022 QLD AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Rebecca Bradshaw

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Stephanie Trethewey

Stephanie is on a mission to eliminate the crippling isolation that can accompany rural motherhood. The Motherland podcast was born out of Steph’s move from Melbourne to a small farming community in Tasmania’s northwest, which saw her confront firsthand the isolation that rural mums can feel. Sharing authentic stories of mums on the land, Motherland struck a nerve with women for its raw, unfiltered representation of motherhood. *Featuring: *2022 TAS AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Stephanie Trethewey

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Louise O'Neill

Louise is the Founder of Farm Life Fitness – an online community that’s transforming the physical and mental health of people in rural Australia. Farm Life Fitness runs 30-minute live, online group fitness classes, offering a quick, safe and effective way for people of all fitness levels to exercise from the comfort of their own home. Hear the story about how the program came to life. *Featuring: *2022 WA AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Louise O'Neill

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Kimberley Furness

In this episode we hear from Victorian-based Kimberley Furness, journalist and Founder of Oak Magazine who is passionate about telling the stories of women living in regional and rural Australia. Using the Westpac grant for the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award, Kimberley hopes to create an audio component of her inspirational magazine. *Featuring: *2022 VIC AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Kimberley Furness

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Kylie Jones

Kylie loved school from the moment she started. Naturally, she became a teacher and at the age of 21, moved from Tassie to Alice Springs to launch her career. She spent some time as a governess and despite her teaching background, she learned there was a real need for more support for other remote families trying to teach their children from home. In 2020 Kylie launched RAISEducation – a not-for-profit organisation with the goal of building a community that supports remote educators to feel connected, empowered and confident about the lessons they deliver. *Featuring: *2022 NT AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Kylie Jones

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Robyn Verrall

As a single mum, money was tight. For Robyn Verrall, back then, food insecurity meant skipping a meal or spag bol for 10 nights in a row. The Keith-based beef and lamb producer is now helping tackle food insecurity, working in partnership with Kere to Country providing mentoring and logistics support to the group’s CEO, Jessica Wishart. *Featuring: *2022 SA AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Robyn Verrall

2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Josie Clarke

"When I was five years old my dad had a truck accident and that resulted in him becoming a paraplegic. We're from a beef cattle farm and it was a big life change for us but we decided to stay on the farm." Improving accessibility in the agricultural industry is a goal for Josie Clarke. She launched Ability Agriculture and is on a mission to give a voice to people living with a disability, to change perceptions of their capacity to work in agriculture and create opportunities for them to be involved in the sector they love. *Featuring: *2022 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Josie Clarke

Late bloomer scientist uses Grant to grow vanilla

Vanilla is an emerging rural industry in Australia with huge potential. There is one major roadblock which is preventing the spice from really taking off. The orchid relies on hand-pollination and it’s labour intensive. Julie Sosso is on a mission to change this process. Julie is one of seven recipients of the inaugural AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant, which provides grants of $7,000 for professional development to help bring an idea, cause or vision to life. Listen to her story. *Featuring:* Julie Sosso, The University of Queensland

Growing Australia's fingerlime industry

Jade King wanted to grow something native and a little bit different on her Queensland-based plot of land. She put the question to her high school class and one student had the suggestion of growing finger limes. 300 trees later, Jade is a commercial finger lime grower. Aided with the help of a Nuffield Scholarship, sponsored by the AgriFutures Australia Emerging Industries Program, Jade is on a mission to grow Australia's finger lime industry and establish an industry body to expand on research knowledge and skills. *Featuring:* Jade King, Finger lime producer, Green Valley Fingerlimes

Exposure to a global audience through growAG.com

AgriFutures growAG. has been created to make it easy to explore, find and connect with relevant Australian agrifood innovation expertise and research and commercialisation opportunities. It's the gateway to Australia's agrifood innovation system in one easy to use location. Since launching in April 2021, the growAG. platform has listed more than 2,500 research projects and 130 commercial opportunities. One of the businesses to take advantage of the platform is Toowoomba-based, DataFarming. Learn about Tim Neale's experience with the growAG. platform as well as his insights into collaboration with the agtech industry. *Featuring: * Tim Neale, Managing Director, DataFarming

Could marron be the next global food sensation?

This week we bring you a podcast episode from our AgriFutures growAG. podcast channel. We learn about Western Australia's famed marron crayfish and how it could become the next global food sensation. The innovative agritech startup Aquatic AI has developed a vertical farming system to ensure a more consistent supply of the crustacean for export markets. *Featuring: * Michael Storey and Andrew Walker, Co-Founders, Aquatic AI

A new approach to buying a farm

How do young people from non-farming backgrounds pursue a career on the land? And an even harder challenge, how can the same people eventually buy a farm? Inaugural AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant recipient, Fiona Taylor is a woman on a mission. She wants young people to feel they have a future on the land. With the average age of Australian farmers currently hitting 61, her scheme is set to attract more young people on the land and keep the ones who are already here. *Featuring: * Fiona Taylor , Rural Financial Counsellor, Rural Financial Counselling Service NSW

Adrian Spencer, AgriFutures Australia Researcher of the Year

Adrian Spencer sees a lot in seaweed. His recent research revealed that Australia has over 12,000 native species of seaweed and algae, and they contain bioactive health ingredients such as Omega-3 and collagen. Both are in demand globally but with minimal local production, the potential of opening new markets within Australia is extremely attractive. *Featuring:* Adrian Spencer, CEO, Sampano

Building an agtech business through the eyes of a AgriFutures Horizon Scholar

For Bill Hyem, one of the most rewarding opportunities of the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program are the industry placements. It was during one of these placements where Bill worked alongside the Founders of Ceres Tag, a direct to satellite animal monitoring information platform. Here he learnt the workings behind a leading and innovative start-up agtech business. *Featuring:* Bill Hyem, AgriFutures Horizon Scholar, student at Australian Melita and David Smith, Founders of Ceres Tag

Ginger Ninja: Automating disease detection

In a bad year, Kylie Templeton's family can lose up to 30% of their ginger crop to Fusarium. Fusarium is a nasty fungus and is a key threat to seed ginger stock, as it can be spread through soil from infected plant material. Identification and removal of diseased seed stock is an expensive. labour intensive process. This podcast explores a project called Ginger Ninja which piloted the development of an automated system that aimed to identify and sort Fusarium infected seed ginger stock. *Featuring:* Kylie Templeton, Ginger Grower, Templeton Ginger Professor Matthew Dunbabin, Faculty of Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering & Robotics, Queensland University of Technology Interviews by Megan Woodward.

Combatting barnyard grass

Hailing from the Philippines, Jhoana Opena is concentrating on how to supress the growth of one of the world's most prolific weeds, barnyard grass, with pasture legumes. *Featuring:* Dr Jhoana Opena, Research Academic, The University of Queensland (formerly a PhD student at The Graham Centre)

What matters to our future rural leaders?

How has leadership changed over the years? What will the future of agriculture look like and what opportunities and challenges will arise? In this panel interview, AgriFutures Australia Managing Director John Harvey speaks with two emerging leaders in the agriculture sector. Their differences in age, experience in the sector and personal perspectives uncovers fascinating insights. *Featuring:* John Harvey, Managing Director, AgriFutures Australia Bill Hyem, AgriFutures Horizon Scholar and student, Australian National University Matilda Meppem, AgriFutures Horizon Scholar and student, The University of Queensland

Building trust in rural industries

Does where you live have an impact on whether you "trust" our rural industries? Why is it so important that Australian consumers trust rural industries? The Community Trust in Rural Industries Program is an analysis of the full spectrum of underlying values driving community attitudes and trust towards food and fibre production. In this first episode of Season III, we showcase some of the findings from this fascinating body of work and how they have been applied to the Australian egg industry. *Featuring: * Kieran Moffatt, Lead Researcher, Community Trust in Rural Industries Program Jennifer Medway, Senior Manager Rural Futures, AgriFutures Australia Rowan McMonnies, Managing Director, Australian Eggs

2020 Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner, Cara Peek

This week we bring you an interview with the 2020 Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner, Cara Peek. Cara is a Broome-based lawyer, entrepreneur and social innovator who is passionate about driving opportunities for rural and remote people to empower the Indigenous community. The Award was announced in a special satellite event, which was streamed live around the country, with the Federal Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia , the Hon. David Littleproud announcing our National Winner. Cara sat down with Skye Manson, host of the Graziher Life on the Land podcast , to talk about the Award and her work and dedication to her winning project. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

Episode repeat: Opportunities from the deep blue

Just imagine that you've stumbled across a product or service that the world has been crying out for but just didn't know it. Everyone's dream right? Well that describes perfectly Australia's seaweed industry. An industry in its infancy but with help from AgriFutures Australia, and the Australian Seaweed Institute, it's ready to leap onto the world stage. This interview first aired in October 2020 and has been one of our most popular episodes to date.

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Stephanie Schmidt

This podcast first aired in December but we are sharing it again with you now in the lead-up to our AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Announcement this month. Our podcast guest is the 2020 SA RWA Finalist, Stephanie Schmidt. Steph shares her story and her plans to develop a resilience program made specifically for farming couples, families and individuals, with the aim of seeing psychological flexibility grow throughout the rural sector.

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Cara Peek

This podcast first aired in December but we are sharing it again with you now in the lead-up to our AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Announcement this month. Our podcast guest is the 2020 WA RWA Finalist, Cara Peek . Cara is a Yawuru Bunuba woman who is the founder of Saltwater County Ltd and co-founder of The Cultural Intelligence Project Pty Ltd. A native title lawyer by profession, Cara has travelled the world to work closely with other Indigenous nations such as the San Carlos Apache Nation. Now back home in the Kimberley, this born advocate is re-engaging at-risk Indigenous youth and connecting them back to country by using practical, hands-on skills such as bull riding, rodeos, camp drafting and country music. Listen to Cara’s powerful story.

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Elisha Parker

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural and emerging business, industries and communities. Due to COVID-19 this year our National Winner and Runner Up will be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 12:30pm (AEDT). The event is open to the public and it is free to register. There are seven inspiring 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award State and Territory Winners vying for the National title and over the next seven weeks and we are going to hear their stories. This week’s podcast first aired in December last year with 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award QLD Finalist, Elisha Parker. The website, cattlesales.com.au is Australia's only advertising custom designed site solely for cattle where producers and livestock agents can go to view pre-marketing saleyard cattle, online auction cattle and advertising paddock cattle. Elisha a…

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Amy Kirke

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural and emerging business, industries and communities. Due to COVID-19 this year our National Winner and Runner Up will be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 12:30pm (AEDT). The event is open to the public and it is free to register. There are seven inspiring 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award State and Territory Winners vying for the National title and over the next seven weeks and we are going to hear their stories. This week’s podcast first aired in December last year with 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award NT, Amy Kirke. Amy is a marine biologist who is sharing her knowledge and passion about science with young people in the Northern Territory. Amy is speaking with AgriFutures podcaster Chris Brown about her work in promoting science as a career and the endless possibilities it o…

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Cressida Cains

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural and emerging business, industries and communities. Due to COVID-19 this year our National Winner and Runner Up will be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 12:30pm (AEDT). The event is open to the public and it is free to register. There are seven inspiring 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award State and Territory Winners vying for the National title and over the next seven weeks and we are going to hear their stories. This week’s podcast first aired in December last year with 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award NSW/ACT Winner, Cressida Cains. Cressida is an award-winning artisan cheese maker who swapped her corporate life in Sydney’s wine industry for greener pastures. Cressida is speaking with AgriFutures podcaster Chris Brown about her work in promoting a profitable and secure fut…

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner: Karen Brock

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural and emerging business, industries and communities. Due to COVID-19 this year our National Winner and Runner Up will be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 12:30pm (AEDT). The event is open to the public and it is free to register. There are seven inspiring 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award State and Territory Winners vying for the National title and over the next seven weeks and we are going to hear their stories. This week’s podcast first aired in December last year with 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award TAS Winner, Karen Brock. Karen grows and supplies commercial fruit trees, and she is also a specialist in plant tissue culture. Karen is speaking with AgriFutures podcaster Chris Brown.

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award: Kelly Barnes

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural and emerging business, industries and communities. Due to COVID-19 this year our National Winner and Runner Up will be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 12:30pm (AEDT). The event is open to the public and it is free to register. There are seven inspiring 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award State and Territory Winners vying for the National title and over the next seven weeks we are going to hear their stories. This week’s podcast first aired in January this year with 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award VIC Winner, Kelly Barnes. Kelly is passionate about her dogs and believes working dogs have so much more potential than we realise. Kelly is speaking with AgriFutures On Air podcaster Chris Brown about the untapped potential of our working dogs.

Technology transforming the livestock industry

This week we take a close look at Ceres Tag – the world’s first direct to satellite animal tracking and data platform. The tag, which is the size of a matchbox, equips farmers with sophisticated data to better manage their livestock, reduce risk and confidently finance agriculture. CEO & Co-Founder David Smith speaks with us about its potential, advice for startups, and the benefits farmers can expect with the tags, often referred to as fitbits for cows but David refers to it more broadly as “Apple for animals”. The uses don’t stop there with upcoming trials on pets and even wild animals.

Driving agritech solutions on-farm

This week we take a close look at a fruitful partnership between farmer and agritech founder. Dan Winson, Founder and CEO of Zetifi a wireless networking startup and Andrew Dumaresq, a broadacre cropping farmer, both based at Wagga Wagga, NSW have formed a unique partnership. Dan has been able to test and trial his products on Andrew’s farm, learning along the way and Andrew has been able to solve his initial on-farm connectivity issues, along with adopting new technologies, as a result of reliable connectivity. Here they discuss their journey in working together, the importance of connectivity on-farm and how it's helping piece together the puzzle, to support agritech adoption.

A new food utopia in South Australia’s Port Augusta

Sustainability is more than a buzz word. In today’s podcast we hear about a new utopia that is unfolding on the edge of the desert in South Australia’s Port Augusta. Sundrop Farms is a leading horticultural player in Australia producing high-value fruit using renewable resources. As you will hear, Australia’s largest solar-powered tomato greenhouse is reducing the use of fossil fuels by using technology that tracks the sun. To reduce their reliance on fresh water, the business pumps sea water from the Spencer Gulf and desalinates it to make fresh water and to generate electricity. Sundrop Farms CEO Steve Marafiote explains more about the workings of concentrated solar power technology.

In our tech-savvy world, it is hard to believe the beehive has stayed almost the same for more than 150 years. But that's about to change. In extensive test-bed sites in both the United States and Israel, the beehive has been replaced with a device that is solar powered and driven by artificial intelligence and advanced robotics to monitor every single bee. In this podcast we hear from Israeli-based serial entrepreneur Saar Safra, CEO of BeeWise who says his world-leading innovation, an autonomous beehive, will change beekeeping around the globe including Australia.

A growing appetite for Australian native bush foods

Did you know Kakadu plum has the highest Vitamin C content of any food on Earth? Yet only 10% of Kakadu plum is currently being harvested. This super food is an Australian native bush food of which there are more than 6,000 edible plant species. The Acacia “wattle” species is another example of native bush foods which are found across Australia. Of the 1,146 species identified, at least 150 species have been used by Indigenous Australians for thousands of years as food, medicine or materials for tools and weapons. For more on native bush foods and its growing popularity go to the AgriFutures Australia’s Emerging Industries Program: https://www.agrifutures.com.au/rural-industries/emerging-industries/ In this week’s podcast we meet Hayley Blieden, founder of The Australian Superfood Co who is helping cultivate a growing appetite for Australian native foods. According to Hayley, Australians once thought of native foods as lamingtons and vegemite, but the national appetite has…

National Farm Safety Week

This week we mark National Farm Safety Week to raise awareness of farm safety issues in rural communities across Australia. In 2021 the focus is on safety issues as they span the life of a farmer, from child safety right through to ageing on farm, including young workers, physical & mental health issues. For more go to: https://farmsafe.org.au/national-farm-safety-week It is an opportunity and a reminder to shine a spotlight on the risks and hazards that face our Australian Farmers every day of their lives - while they produce the food and fibre for Australia and the rest of the world. This week’s podcast first aired in March 2021 with then Rural Safety Health Alliance (RSHA) Executive Officer, Andrew Barrett. Joining Andrew is Paul Daniel, a grain grower from the mid-north of South Australia. Both guests are passionate about farm safety.

Rebuilding after one of the worst bushfires on record

We all know someone affected by the bushfires which two years ago devastated so many parts of Australia. Apple grower Ian Cathels was one of those who suffered huge losses but with determination he and has family have been able to rebuild their business. In this podcast, we hear from Ian about never giving up and why apples from Batlow, NSW taste so good. Thanks to a better season in 2021, Ian is also finding better ways to improve his business thanks to technology. Guest podcaster, Steve Honner travelled to the Snowy Mountains to speak with Ian in person about the trials and tribulations of being on the land and why looking to the future is so important.

Cyber security threats - are we prepared?

Australia’s rural industries have already faced two significant cyber attacks in the past 12 months – is agriculture becoming a top cyber target, and are we prepared? That’s a question a new AgriFutures Australia report by BDO explores, commissioned to identify rural industries’ cyber security vulnerabilities and to provide information on appropriate responses for producers, industry and agribusinesses of all sizes. In this podcast we hear from John Borchi, Partner, Cyber Security at BDO Australia and author of the report. John says rural businesses are now in a similar position to where the health system was five years ago, where the digitisation of patient records resulted in them becoming a prime target for cyber criminals. He discusses the steps farmers, producers and agribusiness can do to better protect themselves from malicious cyber activity.

Meet the 2020-21 Agricultural Student of the Year

Want to be inspired about the future of Australian agriculture? Meet Amy Munro a young person who is passionate about Australian agriculture. Amy recently was awarded the Kondinin Group and ABC Rural 2020-21 Agricultural Student of the Year, sponsored by AgriFutures Australia. She is also a role model, a farmer and a former AgriFutures Horizon Scholar winner who has just completed started working as a veterinarian. In this podcast, Amy talks about her Australian-first research into gender experiences for young people working in the industry and how the AgriFutures Horizon Scholar Program helped propel her into the industry.

How one Aussie startup is revolutionising tracking food in real time

Curious to know what happens to our food as it makes it way around our supply-chain? What if we were able to track the avocado or the lamb cutlet we buy in the supermarket by following its location, and temperature; tracking its journey using smart technologies so it can be seen and heard in real time? In this week’s podcast, we hear from Luke Wood CEO and co-founder of Escavox, an Australian agtech startup that is doing exactly that. In an Australian-first, Escavox has developed an innovative monitoring technology called a “Blue Box tracker’ which travels through the supply-chain capturing data on dwell time, temperature and location. It has even been described as CCTV for food. More information can be found here on how the technology works and Escavox’s involvement with Meat Livestock Organisation (MLA). The technology will amaze you.

Sustainable farming using solar energy

AgriFutures Australia has been a sponsor of the 2021 National Renewables in Agriculture Conference, a bi-annual event that examines the very latest in this rapidly changing sector. Over the coming weeks we will feature some of the key speakers from this event, which this year was held in Dubbo, NSW. In this week’s podcast we speak with two winemakers, Justin Jarratt from See Saw wines in Orange, NSW and Paul Squires from Squires Winery near Yarrawonga on the NSW, Victorian border. Both have moved their wineries to sustainable models, and both share practical tips for farmers and producers thinking about using solar but are not sure where to begin. Learning from their mistakes, they say the first step is access to information by talking to people who already use solar, carefully considering your options and then implementing your strategic plan so that it is line with the needs of your business. They discuss their cost savings, grazing and growing underneath their panels, the loc…

Next gen rural leaders look over the horizon in Northern Australia

AgriFutures Australia has been a major sponsor of the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, with a particular focus showcasing industry partnerships in the north in Emerging Industries. Last month we spoke with *Laura Skipworth*, Manager of Emerging Industries for AgriFutures Australia and *Paul Burke*, CEO of the Northern Territory Farmers Association; M*ic Jakobi, *the Operations Director for Northern Territory Hay Seed & Grain (NTHS&G); and *Matt Hall*, the Director of Plant Industries with the Northern Territory Government. Matt is also a member of the AgriFutures Australia Emerging Industries Advisory Panel. Following the conference, we wanted to hear from young people about the opportunities now emerging in this region. In this conversation, we hear from two next gen leaders who are part of the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program and who attended the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference. Both Horizon Scholars are sponsored by Cooperative Research Centre for Dev…

Leadership and why seeing the bigger picture matters

The Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) is a dynamic experiential learning program focused on the development of leaders who are contributing to the future prosperity of rural, remote and regional Australia. In this week’s podcast we hear from Sally Leigo who has just completed Course 26 of the ARLP Program. Sponsored by AgriFutures Australia, Sally’s leadership journey has had many twists and turns, crossed two states and taken longer than expected due to Covid-19. We caught up with Sally at the recent Renewables in Ag Conference in Dubbo, NSW, which you will hear happening in the background. Like all great stories, it begins with a single step.

Out of this world: why ag is the next frontier for space tech

Space has traditionally been the realm of sectors like mining and defence and we are only on the cusp of unlocking opportunities for the rural sector. An AgriFutures Australia funded report, Space-based technologies – opportunities for the rural sector, highlights that space technologies are already making their mark in Australian agriculture. Producers are routinely using satellite imaging, low bandwidth sensors, GPS tracking, autosteer, paddock level imagery and weather forecasting to drive better decision making. For most producers, many of these turn-key technologies rely on space and we don’t even realise it. We encourage you to read the report, explore the industry specific fact sheets and be part of discussions with space companies and tech developers to explore how technology can be applied to solve your agricultural challenges. In this podcast we hear from: * Martin Amidy, Senior Fellow Agri-Technology Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology, The Australian Nat…

Industrial hemp as an emerging industry in Northern Australia – episode 3

During the month of May, we are looking at the future of food through the lens of the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, in Darwin 17-20 May. AgriFutures Australia is a major sponsor with a particular focus showcasing industry partnerships in the north in emerging industries. Joining us for today’s conversation is Mic Jakobi,* *the Operations Director for Northern Territory Hay Seed & Grain (NTHS&G), who has carved out a career in farming in the NT. Initially starting with grass hay production, Mic has since transitioned into grain and seed crop production with an emphasis on commercialising new tropical grass varieties. He was recently awarded the first commercial Hemp licence in the NT and is now also experimenting with protected cropping of ginger. He is passionate about developing profitable farming systems which compliment mainstream crop rotations and enhance soil health for the long term. This conversation looks at some of those possibilities in the Top End, wi…

Jackfruit and the potential of tropical fruits in Northern Australia - episode 2

During the month of May, we are looking at the future of food through the lens of the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, which takes place in Darwin 17-20 May. AgriFutures Australia is a major sponsor with a particular focus showcasing industry partnerships in the north in Emerging Industries as diverse as native foods, pomegranate, jackfruit, hemp, dates and camel, just to name a few. Joining us for today's conversation is Matt Hall, the Director of Plant Industries with the Northern Territory Government. Matt is also a member of the AgriFutures Australia Emerging Industries Advisory Panel. This conversation looks at some of the possibilities in horticulture in Northern Australia, with a focus on jackfruit, an emerging industry with an exciting future.

The future of food production in Australia's Top End – episode 1

During the month of May, we are looking at the future of food production through the lens of the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference which takes place in Darwin from the 17th to 20th of May. The biannual event is Australia’s leading conference on agricultural development in the north. AgriFutures Australia is a major sponsor with a particular focus showcasing industry partnerships in the north in Emerging Industries as diverse as native foods, pomegranate, jackfruit, hemp, dates and camel, just to name a few. Joining us for this conversation is Laura Skipworth, Manager of Emerging Industries for AgriFutures Australia and Paul Burke, CEO of the Northern Territory Farmers Association. This conversation is a fascinating insight into the farming opportunities now available in the Top End and AgriFutures Australia’s role in supporting industry development through RD&E.

Courses for horses: Improving racetrack surface selection for safer conditions for thoroughbred racehorses

In this podcast we sit down with Professor Chris Whitton, Head of the Equine Centre at the University of Melbourne to hear more about his recent work. Funded by AgriFutures Australia, the project aimed to develop knowledge about how racetrack surface selection can improve safety for racehorses and jockeys. Professor Whitton is joined by Dr Craig Suann, AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses Advisory Panel member and former chief regulatory veterinarian for the NSW thoroughbred racing industry for 33 years. This conversation is about the importance of this research for the industry while touching on Professor Whitton and Dr Suann’s lifelong commitment to the thoroughbred horse industry.

Taking Australian research to the world

Interested in agrifood innovation and what that looks like at a global level? growAG. is a gateway that connects the world to agrifood innovation opportunities in Australia. Just launched this month, growag.com allows you to ‘go, search and find’ Australian’s world leading agricultural research, unique technologies, success stories and commercialisation opportunities in one, easy to use location. It has been developed by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment and Australia’s 15 Research & Development Corporations, often referred to as the RDC’s with AgriFutures Australia managing the platform on their behalf. In part 2 of our series, we examine the global appeal of growag.com Featured in this episode: · Arianna Sippel, Senior Manager growAG. AgriFutures Australia · Sarah Nolet, Co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia’s first dedicated agrifood tech venture capital firm.

growAG. – showcasing Australian innovation to the world

From google maps to wifi, the winged keel, ultrasound, and the black box recorder, Australia is a country of innovators. Our isolation has propelled us to find new ways of doing things, and this is especially so in agriculture with some of our world-class inventions like water efficient crop varieties, the Header Harvester and no till farming practices, through to producing world leaders in digital farm management, satellite technology, blockchain and biosecurity. Now we can add another, digital innovation to the list. growAG. is a gateway that connects the world to agrifood innovation opportunities in Australia. In an Australian first, growAG.com allows you to ‘go, search and find’ Australian’s world leading agricultural research, unique technologies, success stories and commercialisation opportunities in one, easy to use location. It has been developed by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment and Australia’s 15 Research & Development Corporations, often refe…

A conversation starter: The future of Australian ag

AgriFutures Australia Managing Director, John Harvey calls this story, a conversation starter. John is referring to the future of Australian agriculture and how agriculture should be funded in the future: do we want it to be corporate farms or family farms, or do we want it to be family corporates or something else? That conversation has begun following the release of the AgriFutures Australia’s funded report, Capital requirements of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector report. Written by Natural Capital Economics, the report identified an additional $7.5 billion in net capital investment per year is needed if the Australian agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector is to achieve the National Farmers’ Federation $100 billion vision by 2030. Currently a lot of investment that goes into ag is through debt funding and borrowing against equity in the farm. While that model has been successful to-date, to achieve the NFF’s $100 billion vision, there will need to…

The global potential of insects

AgriFutures Australia is growing the long-term prosperity of Australian rural industries and Catalysing a $10 million Australian Insect Industry. One of the projects AgriFutures has invested in, is the Nutritional quality of edible insects and development of pet foods. This project is the first of its kind in Australia, processing insects as pet food. Watch our video here. The Australian pet food industry is estimated to be worth $2.4 billion. In this podcast we hear from some of the people involved in processing insects as pet food project and why there is so much excitement about its potential. We hear from insect producer, Mick Thornett, Insect Protein Association of Australia chair, Olympia Yarger and pet food manufacturer, Shaun Eislers. First-up though, AgriFutures Australia’s Senior Manager, Emerging Industries Tom McCue sets the scene for what is happening in this Emerging Industry.

Know the risks: Be safe on-farm

What are the critical safety risks on your farm? It is an important question and one that could save your life, the lives of your family or anyone coming onto your farm. Farm safety is in the spotlight following the release of the 2020 report Non-intentional Farm Related Incidents in Australia which highlights the total on-farm deaths, causes of injury, fatalities by age and gender, as well as the estimated economic impact of fatal injuries. The report shows while progress is being made, deaths from quad bikes and side by sides continue to take lives, in fact 58 lives were lost last year. See more here This is a challenge not lost on the rural Research Development Corporations (RDC) which fund research through the Rural Safety Health Alliance (RSHA) to review the data and use an evidence-based approach to improve safety across our agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries. AgriFutures Australia is a partner member of RSHA. RSHA Executive Officer, Andrew Barrett says the fi…

What makes a great leader?

For the week of International Women’s Day, we are showcasing what inspirational leadership looks like. Our next guest is a leader in Australian agriculture who wears many hats. Jess Fealy is an avocado and mango grower in Far North Queensland, who runs a family business. Jess is also just about to complete the National Farmers’ Federation Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program. Jess is also a member of the AgriFutures Ignite Advisory Panel, where our thought leaders gather to share their opinions on emerging issues in Australian agriculture. Whatever the day/week means to you, we hope Jess’s story inspires you to get involved in creating a more equal future. Choose to challenge here: #womenlead #choosetochallenge

2020 WA RWA Winner Cara Peek: Changing young Indigenous lives one rodeo at a time

During February we’ve been sharing some of our success stories in the evokeAG. startup community. This week we return to the last in our series of profiles on the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award state winners. Our next guest is the 2020 WA RWA Finalist, Cara Peek. Cara is a Yawuru Bunuba woman who is the founder of Saltwater County Ltd and co-founder of the Cultural Intelligence Project. A native title lawyer by profession, Cara has travelled the world to work closely with other Indigenous nations such as the San Carlos Apache Nation. Now back home in the Kimberley, this born “advocate” is re-engaging at-risk Indigenous youth and connecting them back to country by using practical, hands-on skills such as bull riding, rodeos, camp drafting and country music. Here is Cara’s powerful story.

Creating the brains, eyes and hands for smart robots

Australian robotics company LYRO Robotics has designed a world-leading pattern-packing robot for general fresh produce. The LYRO Machine Intelligence can pick and pack any fruit and vegetable, at any time, and pack them into any pattern or box. Co-founder Dr Juxi Leitner estimates the machine has packed more than 100,000 items, from avocados to chillies, from passionfruit to punnets of tomatoes. During the month of February, AgriFutures on Air has been showcasing amazing innovators making a difference in Australian agriculture. And the one thing they all have in common is their involvement in evokeAG., either in Startup Alley or the Startup Showcase. Check out the new evokeAG. website and our two-part Startup Program in 2021 which is taking place completely online. Here is the story of Lyro, the brains, eyes and hands of a robot.

Farm safety and compliance warrior: Katy Landt

During February, AgriFutures on Air is showcasing amazing innovators making a difference in Australian agriculture. The one thing they have in common is their involvement in evokeAG., either in Startup Alley or the Startup Showcase. Check out the new evokeAG. website and watch out for our two-part Startup Program in 2021 which is taking place completely online. This week we are profiling Safe Ag systems. As the name implies, Safe Ag Systems is about safety in agriculture, but this home-grown Aussie business has grown to become so much more. Its product road map now includes tackling a broad range of compliance issues using an online digital tool for farmers. Co-founder and CEO Katy Landt says she is on a mission to remove the paperwork associated with compliance for agribusiness globally without compromising their productivity. Here’s how Katy is making a difference.

Putting the power of AI into the hands of every farmer

During the month of February, AgriFutures on Air is showcasing amazing innovators making a difference in Australian agriculture. The one thing they have in common is their involvement in evokeAG., either in Startup Alley or the Startup Showcase. Check out the new evokeAG. website and watch out for our two-part Startup Program in 2021 which is taking place completely online. GoMicro is a company helping Aussie farmers identify and detect pests, leaf disease and food quality in their paddocks by using their smart phones and artificial intelligence. Co-founder, Krishnapillai Anandasivam says GoMicro is putting the power of AI into the hands of every farmer. Anything that can be detected by the eye can now be detected by AI in ways never imagined.

Bee Innovative is an Australian agrifood tech company that is using artificial intelligence to track bees to boost crop yields and quality, with amazing results. Bees don’t always pollinate every part of every crop and pollination rates can be patchy. So instead of leaving it to chance, Bee Innovative Co-Founders, David and Kate Lyall are arming farmers with critical information showing rates of pollination and ways to boost it. And in crops like blueberries and sunflowers they’ve had great success, boosting farmers profits and reducing waste. During the month of February, AgriFutures on Air is showcasing four amazing innovators making a difference in Australian agriculture. And the one thing they all have in common is their involvement in evokeAG., either in Startup Alley or the Startup Showcase. Check out the new evokeAG. website and watch out for our two-part Startup Program in 2021 which is taking place completely online. Here is the story of Bee Innovative which like…

Living remotely and changing the world one day at a time

2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award QLD Winner, Elisha Parker is a woman who wears many hats, juggling motherhood with a career as well as a business in a remote part of Australia. A lawyer by profession, she’s also an entrepreneur who along with her business partner, co-founded a website which is connecting the Australian cattle industry like never before. Like all good ideas, it came from personal experience. The website, cattlesales.com.au is Australia's only advertising custom designed site solely for cattle where producers and livestock agents can go to view pre-marketing saleyard cattle, online auction cattle and advertising paddock cattle. And Elisha and her business partner have plans to expand the site further. Elisha Parker lives in Clermont, around five hours west of Rockhampton where living remotely has tested her resilience and creativity long before the pandemic. Here is her fascinating story.

The untapped potential of Aussie working dogs

The contribution working dogs make to Australian farms is well documented but how well do you really understand your working dog? 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award VIC Winner, Kelly Barnes is passionate about her dogs and believes working dogs have so much more potential than we realise. Kelly has developed a Mates Working Dog School – a working dog school to build low stress stock handling skills and to create a strong bond between dogs and their owners. Improving dog performance is only part of the story with Kelly keen to investigate the social connections and networks with like-minded producers. Kelly has channelled her own personal experience with chronic pain and mental health into the concept and she is hoping it could run in multiple locations in regional Australia. This is Kelly’s moving story with her loyal kelpie, Dugald by her side.

Building workforce capability with the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship

Farming systems are increasingly becoming more complex. In this podcast we explore the role of education and programs like the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program in ensuring that the workforce of the future is equipped with the skills, capabilities and perspectives to meet these complexities. This week we are joined by April Browne from Dairy Australia and Julia Payne, who joined the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program in 2020 and is sponsored by Dairy Australia. Applications for the 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship are still open, so if you're looking to kickstart your career like Julia make sure to get your application in before Friday, 15 January 2021. You don’t have to be studying an agriculture degree to apply for the Scholarship. You can also apply if you’re studying degrees like Veterinary Science, Agribusiness, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses with a focus on agriculture. For more information and to apply, visit our websit…

What’s on the horizon

Ever thought about what life is like on a remote cattle station? In this podcast, we hear from university student Emma Moss who is doing exactly that. Her dream to “go north” became a reality when she drove more than 5,000 kilometres to start work on Nerrima Station in the Kimberley region of WA. She documented the experience and, in the process has 20,000 devoted followers. Emma is passionate about Australian agriculture and is an AgriFutures Horizon Scholar, sponsored by Meat and Livestock Australia. You don’t have to be studying an agriculture degree to apply for the Scholarship. You can also apply if you’re studying degrees like Veterinary Science, Agribusiness, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses with a focus on agriculture. Applications for the 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship are open until midnight January 15, 2021 so hurry, apply now. Emma’s story begins when she went ‘up north’.

Inspiring the next generation of Australian scientists

Amy Kirke is the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award NT Winner and a marine biologist who is keen to take her knowledge and passion about science to the next level. Amy wants girls and women in the NT to consider science as a career and she has developed an interactive outreach program called "Let's go fishing" which has a focus on education about sustainable fishing. Based in Darwin, she is taking her passion for Science, Technology, Math and Engineering, otherwise known as STEM on a science roadshow to capture the hearts and minds of a younger generation, who may not have had the opportunities to explore this new world. Amy describes her program as the first step in a series of conversations about creating a pathway for girls and women that shows science is within their reach. Here is Amy’s inspirational story.

Be inspired: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

Have you heard of Country to Canberra? It’s an organisation empowering young women living in rural, regional and remote Australia to reach their leadership potential. One of its key programs is a prestigious annual competition where the national winners receive a Power Trip to Canberra so they can be heard and mentored through leadership and public speaking training. But the program is so much more than this. AgriFutures is the proud diamond sponsor of this competition supporting ten rural women to change their own lives as well as the communities in which they live. In today’s podcast we meet Country to Canberra’s new Chief Executive Officer, Han Worsley whose own story has many twists and turns.

Dairy with a difference: 2020 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner Cressida Cains

Dairy farmer Cressida Cains has been awarded the 2020 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award for her work in promoting a profitable and secure future for Australian dairy farmers. Cressida’s family dairy is a bit different to what you might expect. Named after the Italian word for sheep, Pecora Dairy boasts Australia’s only working, pure East Friesian ewes, the most productive breed of dairy sheep in the world. Sheep milk is one of the most nutrient dense and rich milks, which makes it incredibly suitable for cheese making. Cressida is an award-winning artisan cheese maker who swapped her corporate life in Sydney’s wine industry for greener pastures. Here is her amazing story

Branching out with AgriFutures 2020 TAS Rural Women’s Award Winner Karen Brock

It’s been a big year for Karen Brock who has been named the 2020 Tasmanian winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. Karen grows and supplies commercial fruit trees so it’s no surprise she’s a specialist in plant tissue culture. And it’s in her work with plant tissue where magic is happening. Plant tissue culture is often grown in a gel-like substance, but Karen is changing the face of tissue culture techniques by growing plant tissue in water. Here is her amazing story which starts like all great stories with Karen being in the right place at the right time.

Ginny the ginger robot with a licence to kill weeds

The Australian ginger industry is hoping robotics will help solve one of its biggest challenges: the removal of weeds that compete with ginger plants for water, space and nutrients. Manual spraying and removing of weeds is costly and in this podcast we hear from Kylie Templeton, from Templeton Ginger, Australia's largest ginger grower about the impact of weeds on the ginger industry and opportunities for improving safety and efficiencies. Kylie is also an AgriFutures Ginger Advisory Panel member. We also speak with Guy Coleman, a dedicated precision weed control scientist at the University of Sydney who is teaching Ginny the ginger robot how to identify weeds and then eradicate them. It's a lot more complex than you think.

Superfood breakthrough: a new quinoa variety released

Rich in proteins and essential amino acids, quinoa is well deserving of its reputation as a “superfood”, and even offers a gluten free substitute for other cereals. Its wide availability and the varied uses of the seeds for consumption has led to an increase in demand for quinoa worldwide. In this episode, we speak with Dr Harmohinder Dhammu who's a research scientist with DPIRD, the Department of Primary Industries, Research and Development in Western Australia. He's the principal investigator of a project looking at a new quinoa variety, called Kruso White in WA, which is set to change the way farmers grow this popular food.

Opportunities from the deep blue

Just imagine that you've stumbled across a product or service that the world has been crying out for but just didn't know it. Everyone's dream right? Well that describes perfectly Australia's seaweed industry. An industry in its infancy but with help from AgriFutures Australia, and the Australian Seaweed Institute, it's ready to leap onto the world stage.

Building resilience with AgriFutures 2020 SA Rural Women's Award Winner Stephanie Schmidt

It's ironic that a woman from a property called "Worlds End" is dedicated to helping farmers and all rural people better manage those mental health issues that all of us face to varying degrees. Steph Schmidt is the 2020 South Australian AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner and she shares her story and her plans to develop a resilience program made specifically for farming couples, families and individuals, with the aim of seeing psychological flexibility grow throughout the rural sector.

From paddock and sea, to plate. How can food producers tell their story?

Years ago, Australian agriculture was like the dinner meal we sat down to most nights; fairly straight forward, meat and three veg. But now, Australian agriculture is like a massive smorgasbord of choice. It's that consumer choice, and how today's consumer makes their choice that we are going to talk about in this episode. We have launched a new resource which will help food producers tell their story right along the food chain up to, and including the end consumer. We'll also hear from the people who created this resource to delve deep into what is driving this desire by consumers to know more about the products they buy. And finally, how does telling your story work in practical terms? We ask a venison producer who has put this all into practice. Featured in this episode: * Jennifer Medway, Senior Manager, Business Development, AgriFutures Australia * Helen Johnston, Creative Services Director and Co-Founder, Honey & Fox Pty Ltd * Sophie Hansen, Deer Farmer and Founder and…

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