Agriminders

Farm animals aren’t pets…..or are they? Agricultural Scientist Chris Russell explores whether or not the lines have become blurred between the expectations of people for their urban pets and the welfare needs of farm and production animals? Our Agriminder in this episode is RSPCA Senior Policy Officer Dr Jed Goodfellow.

How do we entice the youth towards a future in Agriculture? Agricultural Scientist Chris Russell finds out how Barker College in the North Shore of Sydney has been using different teaching methods and digital media to successfully change the perception of studying agriculture amongst its' students. Our Agriminders in this episode are Head of School at Barker College, Phillip Heath AM, and his Head of Agriculture, Scott Graham.

With 4 jobs available to every agriculture graduate, Agricultural Scientist Chris Russell asks why Australia’s oldest agriculture faculty has merged into obscurity by academic bureaucrats? Our Agriminder in this episode is the last Dean of Agriculture at Sydney University, now the current Director of the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Professor Alex McBratney.

What will the future of farming look like? Agricultural Scientist Chris Russell explores which technologies are transformational and which are merely distractive gadgets as we try to keep up with the information revolution. Our Agriminders in this episode are leading futurist and innovator, Mark Pesce and Associate Professor in Precision Agriculture, Brett Whelan.

Chris Russell explores the critical issues affecting the next 50 years in Australian agriculture. In each episode Agricultural Scientist Chris speaks with the key intellects, custodians or ‘Agriminds’ tasked with securing the future of our food and fibre production in Australia and discusses how Australian agricultural issues can also have a larger worldwide impact.