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Scholarship applications open

THE AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, developed in collaboration with several industry sponsors, is an initiative to support the next generation of leaders who will drive the future success of Australia’s rural industries and communities.

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This scholarship provides students with a $10,000 bursary over the final two years of their undergraduate degree and opportunities to build leadership skills and collaborate across rural industries. Throughout the program, scholars attend an annual four-day professional development workshop, complete two weeks of industry work placement and are exposed to a range of industry networks gaining vital skills and insight across traditional and emerging areas of Australian agriculture. According to John Harvey, Managing Director of AgriFutures Australia, it is critical to attract and retain a skilled and passionate workforce, including future leaders, to establish prosperous and sustainable rural industries. “Building the capacity, knowledge and skills of Australia’s future workforce is vital to the growth of Australian agriculture and a priority right across our rural industries,” Mr Harvey said. “This scholarship provides students with a platform for networking, forward-thinking and idea creation needed to forge a career in the industry.” The Horizon Scholarship offering has been broadened to include STEM degrees with relevant majors that align with agriculture. This shift recognises the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to support the future prosperity of rural industries. “The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship attracts students who are diverse, passionate and progressive, with the capability to be future leaders of the Australian agricultural workforce,” Mr Harvey said. “Providing these students with the opportunity to come together in the same room creates a platform for collaboration which is invaluable for both the scholars and rural industries more broadly. “I thank all of the industry sponsors who make

AgriFutures Horizon Scholars at the annual AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Workshop.

Photo: Contributed

this possible and share our commitment to developing our future leaders.” To be eligible for the 2023 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, students must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, be studying an undergraduate degree at an Australian university and be entering the final two years of their degree in 2023. Eligible degrees include but are not limited to traditional agriculture degrees such as rural science, animal science and agribusiness, along with Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) degrees with major studies and subject selections relevant to, and aligned with, agriculture. Students passionate about Australian agriculture’s future are encouraged to apply. Scholarship recipients will be selected based on their commitment to a career in agriculture, as well as their leadership potential and tertiary academic record to date. To apply for the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship or more information, visit www.agrifutures.com. au/horizon. Shortlisted applicants will be required to participate in a telephone interview in February 2023. Sponsors of the Program include Australian Eggs, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Co-operative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), Dairy Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Hort Innovation, Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), FMC Australasia, AgriProve, Kalyx and the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses, Rice, Honeybee and Pollination, Agrifood Innovation and Emerging Industries Programs.

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Hear from internaional expert

GIPPSLAND dairy farmers have the rare opportunity to hear from an internationally recognised leader in the field of calf and cattle welfare, when Professor Nina von Kerselingk visits Leongatha next month. Professor von Keyserlingk is a Director of the National Farm Animal Health and Welfare Council of Canada, as well as being the co-director of the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She is the guest of regional dairy body GippsDairy and will be speaking in Gippsland before attending the Australian Dairy Conference in Hobart. “This is a great opportunity for local farmers to get the latest in research and trends from an industry expert. We hope they will take advantage of this opportunity,” GippsDairy executive officer Karen McLennan said. “Nina will be looking at the challenges and opportunities around calf rearing, an issue which can prove problematic in the dairy landscape.” “I know one of the issues Professor von Keyserlingk will be speaking about is the opportunity that exists in calf rearing for the dairy industry in particular around accelerated nutrition, surplus calves and cow-calf separation.” Professor von Keyserlingk combines research in both the social science and animal science fields, working to find practical opportunities to produce food in ways that work for the farm business, protect social license and improve animal welfare. Ms McLennan will be in Leongatha on Thursday, February 9. Details on the event can be found at gippsdairy. com.au

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