Supporter Information:
Australian Government Department of Agriculture
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture develops and implements policies and programs to ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries remain competitive, profitable and sustainable, and supports the sustainable and productive management and use of rivers and water resources.
Website: www.agriculture.gov.au
Twitter: @DeptAgNews
Murray Darling Basin Authority
With the enactment of the Water Act 2007, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) was established as an independent expertise-based statutory agency. The MDBA aims to achieve a healthy working Basin for the benefit of the Australian community.
Website: www.mdba.gov.au
Facebook: @MDBAuth
Twitter: @MD_Basin_Auth
Billy Browning
Nuffield Australia 2020 Scholarship winner
Billy Browning, From Narromine in New South Wales, receives a Nuffield Scholarship with support from the Australian Department of Agriculture and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. He will investigate irrigation designs and the utilisation of low-flow water.
Having previously worked in the financial and agribusiness sector, Billy now manages alongside his family there dryland and irrigation cropping business, consisting of wheat, canola, cotton, seed production and niche commodities for the domestic and international food markets.
Billy is keen to drive the return on there irrigation business, he sees a real opportunity to investigate irrigation designs, irrigated commodities, and multiple uses from a single a water source.
‘Irrigation for us is highly cyclical in nature, I’m excited to explore what other business are doing to maximise their efficiency of there irrigation operation, increase water use efficiency and at the same time maximising profitability.’
Billy will visit the United States and Europe to see how farmers there are addressing similar issues, as well as research and consult with leading irrigators here in Australia.