Premier

New Scholarships Gear Young Farmers Up For Success

12 November 2015

Thirteen young farmers from across Victoria have received grants of up to $10,000 to go towards agricultural training and study thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford, last night announced the winners of the first round of Young Farmers Scholarship Awards at ceremony at Parliament House.

The grant recipients were joined at the ceremony by the newly appointed members of the Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council.

The successful recipients include:

  • Ashlee Wozniak, Morwell
  • Caitlin Sauro, Barwon South West
  • Daniel Hoch, Girgarre
  • Elise Kealey, Edenhope
  • Harrison Brown, Underbool
  • Lauren Peterson, Cobden
  • Michelle Badenhorst, Macarthur
  • Ryan Malloy, Euroa
  • Sally Malloy, Euroa
  • Sara Safstrom, Mount Camel
  • Soorya Koch, W Tree
  • Thomas Batters, Sutherland
  • Jessica Mignano, Sanctuary Lakes

The grants will support young farmers in their agricultural training and study in areas such as farming, business management, research and technology.

Once the students complete their studies, they will receive an additional funding boost to invest in new technologies and business efficiencies such as assistance from professional business consultants, drones to survey the land and implementing electronic identification systems.

The additional funding will help the young farmers to apply their skills in the industry and secure agriculture jobs in the future.

The Scholarship program is part of the Labor Government’s commitment to attract and support the next generation of farmers to ensure the future prosperity of Victoria’s $11.6 billion agriculture industry.

Applications for next year’s round of grants will be open in June 2016 to farmers aged 35 or under who have been working in farm businesses for at least three days a week for more than two years.

The Labor Government is encouraging all young farmers to continue to have their say and submit their ideas to http://oursay.org/youngfarmers/bigissuesExternal Link

This will help the recently announced Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council determine what’s important to young people in Victorian agriculture.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford

“Through these scholarships we’re helping young farmers grow their skills and business practices to ensure Victoria's agriculture sector develops the talent of tomorrow.”

“Attracting the next generation of farmers to a life on the land is crucial to meeting the growing demand for high quality, safe produce and improving access to new markets such as Asia.”

“We want to keep our agriculture sector vibrant, growing, innovating and moving into the future.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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