Plowman joins Birchip group
Yolanda Plowman is Birchip Cropping Group’s new senior research manager. Ms Plowman is a University of Sydney PHD researcher and educator with a doctoral thesis in agricultural microbiology and is an educator of microbiology and food security at the University of Sydney.
Ms Plowman has relocated to Birchip with her family.
She said the role with Birchip Cropping Group, BCG, provided the ‘right’ opportunity to work more closely with farmers to further increase the impact of her research.
“I want the research to be guided by farmer experience,” she said.
“It will be important to understand the opportunities and challenges, and then work collaboratively to design a research program that works towards providing solutions.
“I have immense respect for farmers, their innovation and resilience and believe BCG is the best place to ensure the science effort is meeting the needs of those who live it every day.”
BCG chief executive Fiona Best said Ms Plowman’s zeal and experience researching and extending sustainable agricultural solutions and opportunities to farmers and industry meant she was the right fit for BCG.
“Her ethos matches ours – to be driven by our farmers, rigorously research opportunities and share solutions to ensure farmers across the nation are prosperous,” she said.
BCG’S research and extension reach includes 40 sites with 148 trials across the Wimmera, Mallee and North Central districts.
Ms Best said Ms Plowman had managed projects from 2016 to 2022 with a broad range of topics.
“Her expertise in executing high-quality research on time with a focus on achieving science-based, practical outcomes for farmers will bolster BCG’S highly skilled and capable research and extension teams,” she said.
“The appointment of Ms Plowman to our team will further strengthen our already nationally recognised work, ensuring we can deliver even greater solutions to our farmers, industry and the world.
“While Ms Plowman has big shoes to fill with former senior research manager James Murray seeking new opportunities, we are confident and positive with her appointment and thank James for his nine years at BCG.”