Declan Anderson is the latest Hart Field-Site Group regional intern, and will be Hart's first ever two-year intern.
For the past five years, the Hart intern program has been a year-long placement, with the extra year an opportunity to allow the latest career starter to "dig their heels" into grains research and development.
Mr Anderson grew up on his family's sheep and cropping property at Ouyen, Vic, and joins the Hart intern program having completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide.
Two-months into the program, Mr Anderson said he has already gained valuable knowledge and skills, with a few specific trials having already piqued his interest.
"Improving vetch biomass is one that I've taken on, and we are investigating the best ways to improve vetch growth for grazing or hay end use situations.
"I've also been given the responsibility of managing the long-term seeding systems trial at Hart, which is now going into its 22nd consecutive year.
"Also, the pre-emergents for annual ryegrass control trial where we test new chemistry against currently-used chemicals for the improvement of annual ryegrass in farming systems. The focus is on annual ryegrass as it is one of the biggest weed species in agriculture, Australia-wide."
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Hart Field-Site Group research and extension manager Sarah Noack said the regional internship program helped to strengthen Hart's work in the industry, in addition to kickstarting the career of participants.
"Each intern has been different in terms of their background and knowledge and what they have wanted to achieve while at Hart," she said.
"It's a great sense of accomplishment seeing our interns continue their careers in grains research and communication with farmers - we've seen our interns move on to roles in SARDI and other related employers or further pursue an academic path to gain a PhD in a related field.
"On the other side, it has strengthened our collaboration with SARDI by being able to have our intern working on a field trial at Hart, and then pairing it with a more laboratory-based component with SARDI.
It was a fabulous opportunity to work with a great group of people, and it sets you up well for a career in agriculture.
- BRIANNA GUIDERA
"Each intern has also been given the freedom to work on their own extension trial, and through our interns we've been able to extend the communications being offered to farmers through different mediums such as blogs and videos, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the Hart operation and updates on how research is progressing throughout the year."
Hart's 2020 regional intern Brianna Guidera has experienced the benefits of the Hart regional internship, having recently completed the program after joining the team as a post-graduate student in February last year.
Ms Guidera, who originally hails from Elliston, has moved onto employment in the agricultural industry on Eyre Peninsula.
She said the regional internship helped to develop and her skills and make key industry contacts.
"I gained so many valuable skills as a researcher, such as understanding how to plan and manage trials, and I also became much more confident in my abilities as a young researcher as well as gaining some great connections in the agricultural industry," she said.
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"The internship gave me a really solid start to my career and it has certainly been advantageous, both in terms of finding employment and also in gaining skills.
"Undertaking the Hart Regional Internship in Applied Grains Research showed me there is so much more to research and extension than you would probably expect.
"It was a fabulous opportunity to work with a great group of people, and it sets you up well for a career in agriculture."
The intern program is jointly supported by the SA Grains Industry Trust, Hart and SARDI.
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