He is one of just 18 outstanding primary producers from across Australia who was named a winner of Australia’s most prestigious agricultural scholarship for 2010. The scholarships are valued at $27,000 each and their objective is to increase practical farming knowledge and management skills and techniques generally.

David’s scholarship is supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation so he may study responsible herbicide applications to maximise uptake and minimize chemical losses.

David currently lives on “Pallendina” in Lockhart with his wife Heidi who is a local agronomist. He was raised on the family farm “Craigfernie” in Lockhart with his parents and two brothers and attended St Joseph’s Boarding School followed by Salesian College in Sunbury, Victoria.

From 1995 through to 1997 David attended CSU in Wagga Wagga where he received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Agriculture and in 1998 he went home to the family farm to help expand it and help implement sustainable farming techniques.

David said “Eight other scholars and I will leave Australia in February to visit China, North America, South America, Middle East, India and Europe on a compulsory Global Focus Programme. We will investigate agricultural marketing and trade issues, environmental issues and experience the different social and

cultural aspects of each region”.

Following the initial six-week programme David will pursue his specific study programme in Europe, the UK and USA and will be looking at new technology to minimize chemical losses and drift.

David said “I am delighted and honoured to be part of the Nuffield Programme but I am also excited and nervous about going overseas as I have never left Australia before.”

Over recent years Brent Alexander, Andrew Bouffler and Murray Scholz, all from Lockhart, have received Nuffield Scholarships. Regarding this David said “We are all young and passionate about sustainable and progressive agriculture. We want a future in agriculture and agriculture for future generations”.