Hart Field Site Group is among the organisations to benefit from $3.5 million from the South Australian Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT), which will help to develop the next generation of grains researchers.
SAGIT has announced it has funded 28 grains research projects, with a total investment of $2.9 million, which is lifted to $3.5 million thanks to co-funding partnerships with Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SA Drought Hub).
Among the projects to receive funding is Hart Field Site Group’s regional internship in applied grains research, which has been awarded nearly $62,000 from SAGIT, co-funded with SA Drought Hub.
Hart Field Site Group has been offering the internship since 2016 with 11 interns having gone through the program during this time. The internship aims to provide a post-graduate the chance to gain valuable skills over a full season of broadacre cropping trials research and extension, build valuable networks, and make a real difference to Australian agriculture.
Hart Field Site Group Executive Officer Sandy Haskell said the internship was vital in ensuring the future of grains research in South Australia.
“There’s a real capacity gap in the industry at the moment, and the internship provides a valuable stepping stone for early career researchers,” she said.
“Our interns go on to take on research roles with organisations like SARDI or private research.
“The beauty of our internship is it gives a solid grounding into research, and valuable exposure to farmers and issues they are facing on the ground.”
Ms Haskell said the internship was also supported by SARDI with external collaboration at Waite.
Hart Field Site Group also received support from SAGIT for speaker support for its ‘Getting The Crop In’ seminar.
SAGIT chairperson Dr Andrew Barr said the level of investment this year demonstrated the trust’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovation and productivity in the grains sector, as well as continued investment in building industry capability.
“We are pleased to continue delivering strong investment into research that addresses key challenges for growers, while also supporting emerging opportunities across the industry,” he said.
“This includes continued investment in capacity building, with SAGIT supporting three internship programs and the Lead Agriculture Teacher initiative to help develop the next generation of researchers, advisors and educators.
“These programs play a critical role in strengthening industry capability and ensuring skills and knowledge are transferred to the next generation.”
