Don Madden

Applications are now open to all primary producers for the largest ever pool of potential Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships, with up to 30 prestigious opportunities available nationally in 2017.

QLD Nuffield Chair, Natalie Williams, herself a Nuffield Scholar of 2012, said the State’s agricultural industries had benefited from strong participation, with 58 scholarships awarded in QLD.

“Nuffield is the leading program for primary producers in Queensland, identifying our future leaders and thinkers, and helping to drive excellence in our agricultural industry,” Mrs Williams said.

“In addition to other industries, we are particularly keen for beef producers to apply for the 2017 scholarships, as we have a number of significant scholarships on offer to beef producers this year.

“There are also great opportunities for dairy, wool, livestock, pork, horticulture, rice, egg and chicken meat producers to apply, so with a scholarship in almost every industry, I would really encourage people to get on board.”

QLD Scholar Don Madden is one beef producer who opted to get involved, and was awarded a 2010 scholarship, which enabled him to investigate how he could reduce energy costs at his family’s 20,000-head feedlot at Proston in the south-east of the State.

“My learnings have helped me to continue to look at innovative technologies in a quest for efficiency gains, namely, by making better decisions with regard to energy usage at our feedlot,” Mr Madden said.

“Some of the most powerful things I got out of my Nuffield Scholarship were both a personal and professional network of likeminded peers, and a greater understanding of my industry and how to keep my business profitable.

“My research was invigorating, with an extensive individual travel program, visiting the USA, and also Asia, Indonesia and Europe.

“It’s really the people you meet and get a chance to work with both within the network of your fellow scholars, and also across international industry, that makes Nuffield one of the best opportunities you can get.”

Successful scholars take part in the annual Nuffield Contemporary Scholars Conference as well as one of six Global Focus Programs featuring a six-week intensive itinerary of international travel with fellow scholars to look at international trade, marketing and environmental issues.

The Nuffield Australia National Conference includes a unique mix of returning scholar presentations featuring cutting edge research outcomes, highly regarded national and international speakers covering hot industry topics and a wide range of networking functions.

Mr Madden said Nuffield Scholarships increase participants’ knowledge base and their capacity to influence change.

“It creates lifelong friends and provides our industry with leaders to stand up and get involved, learn, and make agriculture a better industry.”

Nuffield Australia provides opportunities to Australian primary producers and managers between the ages of 28 and 40 to travel the globe investigating a research topic important to them and Australian agriculture. Scholars are provided with a $30,000 bursary to embark on a 16-week program consisting of both group and individual travel over a two-year period.

Applications close 30 June 2016. For more information, head to www.nuffield.com.au