Why seaweed is critical in our goal to reach net zero by 2050

This is a very special podcast episode from the producers behind the 'Boots Off Log On' podcast.

The episode features our very own John Harvey, Managing Director AgriFutures Australia and first aired in January 2024.

Join show host David Egerton-Warburton as John Harvey navigates the intricate landscape of Australian agriculture, from fostering innovation to addressing the pressing challenges faced by farmers.

Learn about the transformative initiatives spearheaded by AgriFutures Australia and the vision for a sustainable and innovative agrifood future.

For more Boots Off Log On podcast episodes, please visit: Boots Off Log On! Podcast | Agrimaster. 

Since being named the 2023 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner, Nikki Davey has grown both personally and professionally.

The self-confessed introvert has thrown herself into all the opportunities the Award has brought her since September 2023. With the generous Westpac grant, Nikki has expanded her sustainable flower business 'Grown Not Flown' to include other produce. She is also offering masterclasses and expanding her international customer and grower base. 

In this episode, discover what Nikki has been working on behind the scenes and what her plans for the next 12 months entail.

Featuring:

• Nikki Davey, 2023 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Winner and Co-Founder, Grown Not Flown. 

Jay is a role model for mature-aged students looking to branch into agriculture as a new career opportunity. She is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Science, Animal Science/Animal Health at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia.

With initial interest in becoming a vet, Jay realised there were so many other options in agriculture that she hadn't explored. While her passion still lies in livestock, she has broadened her experience during her studies by participating in a six-week scholarship in Indonesia.

This is Jay's story.

Featuring:

• Jay Elliot, 2023 Agricultural Student of the Year and Animal Science/Animal Health Student at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia

It's estimated that Australian agriculture produces 9.8 million tonnes of pre-farm gate waste annually. AgriFutures Australia have been working with industry to help address this.

In this episode we introduce the newly published report called 'Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry National Waste and Resource Recovery Roadmap'. We have the author of the report join us to explain just how waste is generated on farm, and how we need to deal with it.

Featuring: 

• Dr Anne-Maree Boland, Principal, RMCG 

In this episode, we'll hear how two AgriFutures Horizon Scholars literally expanded their horizons. Mitchell Salan and Stephanie Hennings have just been on a tour in Ireland in partnership with their Scholarship sponsor Dairy Australia. We hear about their learnings and experience of the European dairy industry and the new technologies the country has embraced. 

Applications for the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship close on 12 January 2024. For more information, visit the AgriFutures Australia agricultural scholarship opportunities webpage. 

Featuring:

• Mitchell Salan, 2022 AgriFutures Horizon Scholar
• Stephanie Hennings, 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholar

Wading through pre-sale radiographs (or x-rays) of yearlings has long been considered murky territory. But now, thanks to groundbreaking research undertaken by a team at The University of Queensland and supported by the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses Program, the industry can now be more confident in understanding the impact of a range of lesions on a yearling’s potential racing performance.

In this episode, Dr Argue unpacks the most important takeaways from his research. He explains how it will better inform buyers making purchasing decisions and the agents and sellers involved in a yearling sale. The research will also help vets review pre-sale x-rays and provide advice that could lead to early intervention and improved management for a range of skeletal conditions now understood to impact a thoroughbred’s racing performance and career.

Featuring:

• Dr Brodie Argue, Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident, University of Queensland Equine Specialist Hospital

Find out more:

• Project snapshot: Investigation of what radiographic lesions in thoroughbred yearlings are significant in limiting future racing performance | AgriFutures Australia

Indiana Rhind didn't come from a farming background and so she was surprised to be awarded an AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship. She has since described the Australian agricultural scholarship Program as an 'encouraging, exciting and empowering experience'.

In this episode, Indiana talks about the value in connecting with the AgriFutures Horizon Scholar cohort and how, through the Scholarship, she landed her first job in the agricultural industry. Since working with Farmwall, she has realised that agriculture is intricately linked to our urban society.

Applications for the 2024 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship are open now and close on Friday, 12 January 2024.

Featuring:

• Indiana Rhind, Chief Technology Officer, Farmwall

Find out more:

• AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship
• Series of fortunate events leads Horizon Scholar to Farmwall 

An unconventional program run by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and supported by AgriFutures Australia, Fast Track helps young people with limited experience take their first steps into the world of thoroughbred breeding. Participants emerge with relevant agriculture skill development, respected credentials, invaluable experiences and industry connections.

Fast Track's impact extends beyond the equine realm - it stands as a model for creating efficient, accelerated learning pathways nationwide. The program is bridging industry gaps while fostering leadership skills in the next generation of thoroughbred breeding professionals, drawing interest from various industries eager to replicate its success. 

Featuring:

• Cecelia O'Gorman, Marketing and Communications Manager, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia
• James Loder, 2022 Fast Track Graduate
• Tess O'Connor, 2020 Fast Track Graduate

One of the greatest parts of being involved in science is surprise discoveries. For a team working on measuring the carbon footprint of Australian irrigation dams, the results were truly astonishing.

Not only are irrigation dams producing a lot less carbon emissions than what has previously been thought, they are actually performing a critical nitrogen cycling role.

In this podcast episode we speak with Jackie Webb, a Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Deakin University on her recent carbon farming project for AgriFutures Australia. 

Featuring:

• Jackie Webb, Research Fellow, Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Deakin University

AgHealth Australia has been leading research into deaths and injuries on farm since 2004, providing the most comprehensive evidence on which to build prevention approaches to enhance the safety and wellbeing of people in Australian agriculture.

The data for January-June 2023 is in, and numbers of non-intentional on-farm deaths remain stubbornly high. In this podcast episode, AgriFutures On Air podcast host and producer Jayne Cuddihy speaks with Pauline Brightling from the Rural Safety Health Alliance on how we can buck the trend. 

We also hear a first-hand account of how a Queensland farmer lost his leg in a farming accident, and how a generational change in relation to farm safety and shifting attitude towards WH&S in agriculture is changing for the better. 

Featuring:

• Pauline Brightling, RSHA Secretariat, Rural Safety Health Alliance
• Shawn Kleinschmidt, Queensland-based cane and cattle producer