CSIRO insight at Birchip event

A CSIRO agriculture and food director will visit Birchip early next month to discuss the future of agriculture with Wimmera-mallee grain and livestock farmers.

Dr Michiel van Lookeren Campagne will speak at a Birchip Cropping Group breakfast on August 12.

Dr van Lookeren Campagne’s presentation, The future of agriculture and a scan of the horizon of what is to come, will showcase CSIRO’S vision for food and agriculture and how it applies to farmers and rural communities.

Dr van Lookeren Campagne has a background in bioscience and technology. He was the head of Bioscience, Seeds and Traits at Bayer Cropscience in the Netherlands before joining Syngenta in North Carolina and then CSIRO in 2019.

BCG chair John Ferrier said agriculture and food was one of CSIRO’S primary focus areas and was responsible for research from paddock to plate.

“CSIRO and BCG have had a long association. Together, we have developed the flagship product Yield Prophet and worked together on projects including measuring and managing soil water, soil sensing and exploring a farmer data market,” he said.

“These innovations have directly influenced broadacre cropping practices, improved decision-making and consequently, profitability in addition to the environmental benefits.”

Online registration is essential for the free event. People can visit www.bcg.org.au/ events to secure a place or call BCG on 5492 2787 with inquiries.