A strong field of finalists have been named for the South Australian 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award which will be announced next month.
Marie Ellul, Adelaide; Rebecca Sullivan, Armagh; Stephanie Schmidt, Worlds End and Kellie Taylor, Cummins will vie for a $10,000 Westpac bursary to progress their chosen project all aimed at improving their local community and industry.
Ms Ellul is the manager of a reproductive technology start-up company which specialises in accelerating the improvement of livestock breeding.
She would like to provide training to embryo providers to give them a head start in adapting to invitro fertilisation technology.
Ms Sullivan, a Mid North foodie has championed the work of farmers through her Granny Skills movement and Australian native food brand, Warndu.
She is building a food and farming school, eco accommodation and a seed library on her 90 acre farm near Clare and would use the bursary to create a demonstration garden for local farmers to see value-add propositions for their own land.
Clinical psychologist and Mid North farmer Ms Schmidt is passionate about developing a resilient rural Australia. Her initiative would draw on her experiences to build a program to help farming couples, families and individuals.
Ms Taylor, an Eyre Peninsula local who has a background in nanotechnology, would like to pilot a program linking industry and schools across regional EP.
She wants rural youth to grow up as innovative thinkers and collaborate on research opportunities identified by local business.
Acting Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Dan van Holst Pellekaan praised the four finalists as exceptional individuals and valuable contributors to their communities.
These women play key roles in supporting regional SA and often bind their community or industry together.
- Dan van Holst Pellekaan
"This year's finalists have proposed a diverse and innovative range of projects for the bursary, from building resilience skills and livestock breeding to native foods and linking industry with schools," he said.
"These women play key roles in supporting regional SA and often bind their community or industry together."
The SA winner will go on to represent the state at the national AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Gala Dinner in Canberra on September 15.
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