Summary: This week we're catching up with two of the 2017 Syngenta Growth Awards winners. We were very proud that our Extension Agronomist Kirrily Condon nabbed the Adviser award in the Sustainability category. For Junee-based Kirrily, the goal is always the same. If she can provide advice that is making farming more profitable as well as sustainable, then she’s set out what she aimed to achieve. We also caught up with Duncan Young who farms out of Beverley in Western Australia with JT Young and Sons. He received the Grower award in the Sustainability category. Duncan has always been passionate about agriculture and practices sustainable farming. He's put a self-imposed ban on some chemicals in certain places next to a river, he uses technology like knife rollers over his paddocks instead of burning stubble and he has established a significant buffer on his property of up to 100m along the nearby Avon River. Each year, Syngenta profiles growers and farm advisers from different regions across Australia and New Zealand, showcasing their contribution in one of the following categories: Productivity: Recognises growers and advisers who use best practice in achieving consistent productivity gains. Sustainability: Recognises growers and advisers who are committed to addressing industry issues to create a sustainable and profitable future. Community & People: Recognises growers and advisers who make a leading contribution to their community, workers and fellow growers. Nominations for the Growth Awards are invite-only and 25 regional winners are chosen from the pool of nominees and announced in October. The regional winners attended The Growth Awards dinner last November and recently went on their study tour to the UK and Switzerland. The winners are chosen by an independent panel comprised of industry representatives and stakeholders. Join your host Jessica Strauss and guest co-host Greg Condon to find out about Kirrily and Duncan's approaches to agriculture and what they learned on their study tour.
