Two young South Australians will receive grants to further their agricultural careers after being recognised at this year’s Ag Bureau of SA’s annual Spirit of Excellence in Agriculture awards.
Onion grower James Smith from Bowhill Produce was awarded the $8000 Peter Olsen Fellowship, while Rachel Chirgwin, owner of Chirgwin Livestock, was named the winner of the $5000 Rural Youth Bursary, sponsored by PIRSA.
Regional Development Minister Geoff Brock said the awards provided an opportunity for young farm innovators and leaders to build on their farming careers.
“James and Rachel are deserving recipients of these awards and will use the grants to grow their knowledge and skills,” Mr Brock said.
“Both recipients are looking at better on-farm efficiency and practices and this support will be a significant boost to their careers.”
Mr Smith, from Bowhill, will use the $8000 fellowship towards his Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management degree at Charles Sturt University. This study will complement the progress and development driven by his parents in their successful onion production and marketing business.
“Already I have learnt how we can work more efficiently on the farm and to appreciate the many aspects of farming and to implement improvements such as knowing about the different
soil types,” he said.
“Completing commodity trade and pricing subjects will be beneficial in gaining a better understanding of our onion packing and selling.”
Rachel Chirgwin, based in Saddleworth in the Mid North, will use the $5000 Rural Youth Bursary towards travelling interstate to research commercial studs.
Her future vision is to breed superior Suffolk genetics by using leading edge technology through genetics and streamlining on-farm management.
She hopes this will have a significant impact on the sheep meat industry by increasing productivity and profitability.
“I will use the $5000 bursary to travel interstate to look into the barriers of adoption of
technology in sheep enterprises in predominantly cereal cropping areas. I will spend time interstate visiting commercial and stud producers and feedlots that are using electronic identification technology (Eid) to increase production whilst lowering management costs,” she said.
“I also really want to mentor others in their technology based projects.”
Barmera’s Barry Mudge was also recognised at the Spirit of Excellence in Agriculture Awards, receiving the Services to Primary Production Award for his contribution to primary production over a significant period of time.
A member of the Barmera Ag Bureau for 48 years, Barry has been instrumental in changing the face of viticulture and horticulture in the Riverland and further afield.
