Sixteen university students with a passion for agriculture have been given a financial boost through the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Horizon Scholarship scheme.

Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, said the scholarships were to encourage young people, across Australia, to stick with fields of undergraduate study that would help them make a strong contribution to agricultural communities and industries when they graduated.

“These 16 scholarship recipients represent the present and the future of farming in Australia,” Minister Joyce said.

“I am especially pleased to see that two of the recipients are studying at the university I am an alumni to, the University of New England, in Armidale.

“We need the youth and enthusiasm that young people like these will bring the sector to help continue to build our productivity and profitability in the years ahead – and to keep our rural communities vibrant.

“I believe that young people with a passion for agriculture, who are choosing to study agriculturally related fields – like veterinary science, agricultural science and agricultural economics – are more likely to live and work in rural and regional Australia.

“That is why I commend RIRDC, and its scholarship sponsors, for their shared commitment to supporting our next generation of agriculture leaders and professionals,” Minister Joyce said.

The 2014 Horizon Scholarship students, the degree they are studying and their sponsors are:

Grace Scott, Castle Hill, NSW
Studying: Advanced Natural Science, University of Western Sydney
Sponsor: Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Michael Wellington, Toowong, QLD
Studying: Bachelor of Agriculture, University of Queensland
Sponsor: Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Alana Martin, Perth, WA
Studying: Bachelor of Science, University of Western Australia
Sponsor: Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Sam Johnston, Forbes, NSW
Bachelor of Agriculture Economics, University of Sydney
Sponsor: Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Felicity Taylor, Moree, NSW
Studying: Bachelor of Agriculture, Economics, University of Sydney
Sponsor: Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Amy Carpenter, Gazette, VIC
Bachelor of Agriculture, University of New England
Sponsor: Australian Wool Innovation

Anna Rose Markey, Menai, NSW
Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Veterinary Science, Charles Sturt University
Sponsor:  Australian Egg Corporation Ltd

Georgia Campbell, Freshwater, NSW
Studying: Food and Agribusiness, University of Sydney
Sponsor: Grains Research and Development Corporation

Jordy Kitschke, Jamestown, SA
Studying: Bachelor of Agriculture Sciences, Adelaide University
Sponsor: Grains Research and Development Corporation

Cameron Broun, Beverley, WA
Studying: Bachelor of Science, University of Western Australia
Sponsor: Grains Research and Development Corporation

Melissa McCallum, Inglewood, SA
Studying: Bachelor of Agriculture Science, University of Adelaide
Sponsor: Grains Research and Development Corporation

Finnlay Cowden Harden, NSW
Studying: Bachelor of Ag Economics, University of Sydney
Sponsor: Grains Research and Development Corporation

Delayne Sternbeck-Rutter, Batemans Bay, NSW
Studying: Bachelor of Resource Economics, University of Sydney
Sponsor: Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Anne Warren, Campbell, ACT
Studying: Bachelor of Rural Science, University of New England
Sponsor: Honeybee Program, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Samuel Coggins, Canberra, ACT
Studying: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, University of Sydney
Sponsor:  Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Jack Scifleet, Binnaway, NSW
Studying: Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, University of Sydney
Sponsor: ANZ

Source: Federal Minister for Agriculture. Profiles of each of the recipients and more information about the Horizon Scholarship can be found at www.rirdc.gov.au/horizon