Applications are now open for the 2019 Nuffield Scholarships for Primary Producers, which are a great opportunity for any vegetable or potato grower looking to expand their understanding of production in Australia and overseas.

The theme of the 2019 Nuffield Scholarships is ‘Produce Change’, reflecting the ultimate goal of every scholarship provided through the program: to research and deliver practical change that adds real value to farm businesses and the Australian community more broadly.

This year, there are up to 25 scholarships on offer, each valued at $30,000. The scholarships run for 18 months and enable farmers to travel overseas for 16 weeks to discover and learn from some of the best operators in the business, then share those learnings with the Australian industry.

Hort Innovation supports scholarships for our sector through strategic levy investments, ensuring that vegetable growers have the chance to bring international knowledge back home.

If you’re interested in applying but don’t know where to focus your research, there are plenty of case studies of previous scholars to inspire you. We’ve already covered the work done by previous Nuffield scholars Emma Germano, Jan Vydra and Scott Samwell, and there’s been even more great research done in our sector by other industry members:

• South Australian leafy vegetable grower Michael Vorrasi investigated the opportunities for innovative value-added vegetable products.
• Queensland cucumber and pumpkin grower Ross Pirrone (pictured above) researched protected cropping systems for tropical and sub-tropical horticulture.
• Queensland chilli grower Trent De Paoli learnt about value-adding and sustainability after the farmgate.

As well as taking the learnings from their study trips and applying it to their own businesses, these scholars are using their knowledge to help the entire industry. For example, Emma, Scott, Michael and Trent all sit on Hort Innovation investment advisory panels, contributing their expertise and experience to the oversight of levy-funded investments.

Like other levy-funded opportunities, these scholarships also represent a great opportunity for you to grow your local and international networks and develop the skills to take a leadership role in our industry.

Applications for scholarships close on Friday 15 June 2018, so get your application in soon! You can find more information about the scholarships here. To apply to become a Nuffield Scholar, visit the Nuffield Australia website.

This post appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 22 May 2018 and 1 May 2018. Subscribe to the Update using our online form to receive the latest industry news in your inbox every week!