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(2008) Sweet Victory
INNOVATION caught the eye of the judges when they awarded scholarships to two farming businesses at the BCU Pro-Ag field days in Macksville on Friday.
Chris Shannon (pictured), a sugar cane farmer from the Maclean area won the major Bill Ussher Agricultural Scholarship, worth $7700, and plans to change the way he sows the crop, while Anthony Sark from Ricardoes Tomatoes in the Hastings plans to use the $3300 grant to research how other businesses market their products.
Both Chris and Anthony were announced as the scholarship winners at a ceremony at BCU Pro-Ag last Friday, and presented with the scholarships by Bill Ussher’s widow Carmel. Bill Ussher was a long serving director of Pro-Ag and a president of BCU.
Following the presentation, Mr Shannon told the Observer he planned to travel overseas and visit farms to research zonal tillage.
Instead or working all the ground in a paddock, Mr Shannon explained zonal tillage only cultivates the row area where the sugar cane will be planted, which he said was about one metre wide. This reduces costs and time.
Mr Shannon has 370 acres at his Chatswood Island property and has been growing sugar cane for 16 years. He followed in his parents footsteps and the family has 1100 acres in the area.
The other scholarship winner, Ricardoes Tomatoes, currently employs 18 people and is planning to increase its business, and staff numbers. “The scholarship will allow us to look at how others use marketing,” Mr Sark said after accepting the cheque.
Nationals MP Andrew Stoner was at BCU Pro-Ag on Friday and emphasised the importance of farmers being innovative.
“Our farmers are resilient but the future is in adaptation and innovation,” Mr Stoner told the Observer.
“We don’t have huge amounts of land, like out west, so we’ve got to think smarter.”
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