YEAR 9 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Feeding, Clothing and Powering a Hungry Nation is a

Shared Responsibility

Eddie Hay Genesis Christian College

Topic 1 Careers in agriculture

James Kanaley You do not have to own the farm to farm the
farm2
Careers - From paddock to
plate3
Careers My personal career in the farming and agricultural
world..6

Topic 2 Climate change in agriculture

Climate change Impact on

cotton10
Farms in Australia Adapting and mitigating greenhouse gas
emissions.11
Renewable energy The changes made on
farms...............................................12

James Kanaley You do not have to own the farm to farm the farm
In this post, you will hopefully be able to link your passion
with a career in agriculture; learn a bit about James
Kanaley, a young farming champion; and the cotton
industry.

From the family farm in southern New South Wales, to

following the harvest trail from Texas to Canada, James
Kanaley has taken the road less travelled to reach his
current home among the cotton crops of Moree.
James Kanaley is a 5th generation farmer and agronomist.
Over 100 years ago, his family began farming in southern
New South Wales. Throughout his childhood, James spent most of his time on the
family farm, which is a mixed farming operation, where they grow crops of wheat
lupins, barley and canola. The other parts of his farm are for the flock of merino
sheep to graze on and produce fine wool.
I am a strong believer in diversification in farming systems and believe the
strongest farming operations are able to optimise climatic and economic
forecasts for agricultural commodities and manage their cropping and livestock
enterprises to complement each other James Kanaley himself
Agriculture is a way of life for the Illabo region and is the backbone of the local
economy and after graduating from high school, James went to Charles Sturt
University, in Wagga Wagga, to study Agricultural Science. However, Kanaley
decided to take a break and have a gap year.
Then, on New Years Day 2006 a fierce and terrifying bushfire ripped through
over 25,000 ha of prime farmland and our property, leaving nothing but ash and
dust behind it James began It was the middle of the drought and we had just
had the first decent spring rainfall in years, which only added fuel to the fire.
After this, James spent a great portion of his gap year clearing trees, re-fencing
and fixing up the devastated farm. The drought had already pushed and tested
many farmers but even after the bushfire, everyone remained positive.
Many people ask and have asked him why do you do it? Why do you do
agriculture for a living? Not only does he enjoy it but because
The bushfire and millennium drought showed Mother Nature at her worst,
putting farmers under severe emotional, financial and physical pressure but it
showed the resilience of our farmers and their determination. It made me proud
to be part of an industry that could go through so much and work so hard without
much reward, sometimes only to wake up the next day and do it all again until
the drought breaking rains came.

In his third year of studying agricultural science at university, James went to

Vietnam and toured through farming regions of the Mekong Delta. This specific
trip opened the eyes of a young James Kanaley, to just how privileged and lucky
we all are to live and farm in Australia.

At the same time it was interesting to see people

who were less fortunate, and with less access to
technology, productively use the land to feed
their families and communities.
Over university holidays, James worked for a large
corporate cropping farm close to his home. It was
a great experience coming from a family farm
environment to see the differences in how the
corporate farms operate. Corporate farms are run
with a lot less emotion than family farms and
treated more like business investments. The
company he worked for which was a large asset
management group called Warakirri Pty Ltd.
After graduating from university, James travelled
to the USA, to work on the wheat harvest trail. This road stretched from Southern
America (Texas) to the north (Canada).
It was great to learn a lot about the American style of farming but what I think
my trip highlighted most was how underrated Australian farmers actually are. My
American experience made it clear to me just how adoptive, adaptive, innovative
and resilient our farmers are.

After returning home, he worked as a dry

land agronomist in the Henty area in
southern New South Wales, working with
mixed farmers to advise them on their crop
and pasture systems. After discovering a
passion for it, James was keen to learn more
about the cotton industry. To do this, he left
Henty in 2014 and began work in Moree,
northern NSW.
I love working as an agronomist and
working hard to produce as much as
possible from every millimetre of rain that
falls or every mega litre toff water that is
siphoned down a field during irrigations.

James Kanaley A farmer who works and breathes agriculture in rural Australia
Written by Eddie Hay
Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

Careers - From paddock to plate

Paddock to plate is quite a broad term, which has several meanings all with
different aspects, such as, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, vegetables and fruit.
The first category of paddock to plate is the growth and production of animals
and food. Obviously, the first occupation that comes into your head is a farmer
but there are many more jobs such as:
-

Farm hand
Driver
Diesel mechanic
Crop consultant
Irrigation specialist
Zoning specialist
Water quality tester
Yield advisor
Natural resource manager
Ag pilot

Secondly, there are specific scientific jobs such as:

-

Hydrologist
Nutritionist
Agronomist
Microbiologist
Researcher
Soil scientist
Plant breeder
Picking contractor
Economist
Biochemist
Biologist

Thirdly, there are teaching and training jobs such as:

-

Agricultural science teacher

Biology teacher
Chemistry teacher
Journalist
University lecturer (or academic)
Trainer
Vocational trainer

Fourthly, there are many opportunities in

the business and cooperate side of
farming such as:
-

Accountant
Banker
Developer designer
Financial planner
Help desk specialist
HR consultant
Sales rep
Real estate agent
Visual merchandise

Lastly, in farming there are many managerial opportunities such as:

-

Operations manager
Policy manager
Regional manager
Extension officer
Work place health and safety
Occupational health and safety advisor

These are the many jobs which are included in the topic of paddock to plate.
With a vast majority of occupations, could you find your passion and possible
career amongst it?

Paddock to plate
Written by Eddie Hay
Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

My strengths, ideals and values for a career in the cotton industry

Personally, I love animals, plants, and anything else to do with nature. I also love
machinery and aircrafts. I think that my career in the cotton industry would be an
agriculture pilot. This means I would study something along the lines of aircraft
mechanics or engineering, while also gaining a plane licence. I would work on a
cotton farm in Moree or any other well-developed cotton growing areas.
The agricultural pilot flies specially-designed aircraft including helicopters to
apply herbicides, insecticides, seeds and fertilizers on crops, orchards, forests,
fields, and swamps. Some jobs require aerial surveys of cattle and crops or
fighting forest fires by dumping fire retardant materials.

Working Conditions
These pilots fly at low levels with heavy loads, in a regular pattern over the
ground avoiding trees, power lines, fences and other obstacles. Most flying is

done during the early hours of the morning and again in early evening when the
air is still. Takeoffs are often made from country roads and open fields close to
the area to be treated. Work is seasonal, ranging from six to nine months in
southern areas to two months in northern sections. The operator usually
furnishes the aircraft, trained ground crews, and specialists who decide how the
land is to be treated. The pilot works very close to poisonous liquids and
chemicals and must wear protective clothing and masks. Work schedules are
quite varied with irregular hours, so it becomes more of a way of life than a job
and it's hard to leave it.
Typical Requirements and/or Experience
Agricultural pilots need to have: excellent flying skills, planning and decisionmaking skills, skill in interpreting flight plans and making calculations, excellent
concentration skills, good communication skills as they deal with a range of
people. They should also be good at remembering landmarks and flight paths in
order to make accurate flights, and be aware of the activities that are happening
on the land where they are applying products. Knowledge of farming is also
useful.
Education
The importance of experience and the demand for a high standard of flying
ability is being driven by safety concerns and the high profile of agricultural
flying. There are several approaches to acquiring pilot training. Please refer to
the Training section below.
Marital Status

Married and unmarried men and women, with or without children are eligible.
Persons who are widowed or divorced, also are eligible.

Training
There are several approaches to acquiring pilot training. The first is through flight
instruction at FAA Certificated flying schools. The student must be at least 16
years of age and be able to pass a third class medical examination. Courses
consist of 40 hours of ground school instruction where students learn the

principles of flight, aerial - navigation, weather factors, and flight regulations.

Flying lessons are conducted in dual controlled aircraft (20 hours dual instruction
and 20 hours solo flight). The instructor judges when the student is ready to take
the written and flight examinations which are given by FAA inspectors. Upon
successful completion of both exams, she or he earns the
private pilot's license which entitles the pilot to fly passengers, but not for hire.
The private pilot can then undertake advanced instruction, learn to fly on
instruments and earn a commercial pilot's license upon acquiring additional
hours of flight experience. These achievements open up numerous pilot careers
because now the pilot can fly for hire. Further study and experience could
eventually earn him or her the Air Transport Rating to qualify as an airline pilot.
My strengths, ideals and values for a career in the cotton industry
Written by Eddie Hay

Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

Career pathway and a typical week

Tracy T. Thurman described the career of an Ag pilot:
An Ag pilots day starts early, just as the sun lifts itself above the horizon. It is
cool in the morning. The air is clean and crisp. Standing on a dew sparkled grass
runway watching the landscape emerge into the light of a new day is part of an
Ag pilots daily commute.
The morning calm however, is soon broken by a demanding shout. Clear! The
tick tick tick tick whirrrr of a turboprop engine coming to life shatters the
serenity and the work day has begun.
All across the country, on air strips in rural valleys and farmlands, the same
procedure is repeated. There are millions of acres that need to be planted,
treated, and protected. Before most people have had their first cup of coffee, the
men and women of agricultural aviation are in motion doing just that.
Ag aviation, aerial application, crop dusting whatever the terminology used
is an integral part of food and fibre production. Whether it is seeding a new grain
crop, applying fertilizer, or pesticides, the Ag pilots job is one that carries great
responsibility and requires a high level of skill, knowledge, dedication, and
stamina.
The work starts at first light and
will continue until it is done. Many
times that means the last landing
will be under the falling veil of
dusk. Its long days in a hot
cockpit. It is not uncommon for a
pilot to make dozens of take-offs
and landings every day during the
peak of the season.
Ag pilots work in acres, not hours.
There are no schedules. Work
depends on the needs of the
farmers. You fly until the flying is
done. Ag pilots learn to eat their
lunch in the cockpit.
Night operations are prevalent in
the Southwest and Central
California and gaining interest in
other parts of the country. It is a
different aspect of the industry
with its own set of circumstances
and procedures, yet the practices
and results are the same.

Helicopters also play a major role in this industry and the role of the rotor wing is
growing larger every year.

Career pathway and a typical week

Written by Eddie Hay
Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

The impacts of climate change on the cotton industry

Australia produces about 2% of global cotton virtually all is for export. Over the
past ten years, average cotton yields have been increasing, due to the spread of
GM seed varieties and improvements in technology and crop management.
Cotton production in Australia is located in New South Wales and Queensland, in
particular in the Murray-Darling river basin. This basin has been subject to severe
drought since 2000, adversely affecting cotton production
Throughout cotton growing regions, average annual minimum temperatures
have increased 0.9 C and maximum temperatures 0.6 C since 1950. The
difference between day and night temperatures decreased, particularly in
Queensland and parts of New South Wales. Since 1970, much of Eastern
Australia (particularly Queensland) has seen a trend towards declining rainfall.
The combination of increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall, especially in
central and southern Queensland, is likely to reduce soil-water balance.

Projections indicate that most of Australia will warm with 0.4 C to 2.0 C by
2030, and with 1 C to 6 C by 2070. Warming is expected to be higher inland.
The rate of warming will be higher in spring and summer than in autumn and

winter. There will be an increase in the average number of extremely hot days
and a decrease in the average number of extremely cold days and frosts. Annual
average rainfall is expected to be lower in the southwest and the southeast and
parts of Queensland, but not in the rest of Australia.
Climate change impacts will be complex and will vary greatly across different
cropping and pasture regions. Impacts could include heat stress, drought,
waterlogging and changes in the distribution and severity of insect pests,
pathogens and weeds. Some impacts could be positive, such as the capacity of
plants to use water more efficiently, as a result of higher atmospheric CO2.
However, the effects of increased temperatures and changes may offset this
positive effect in water availability.
Climate change is likely to make water availability more variable and limited in
Australias cotton producing regions. Water availability being a key limiting
factor, the cotton sector has set a goal to double its water-use efficiency by
2015. Many cotton-growing areas in Australia already experience extremely high
temperatures during the growing season, particularly during flowering and boll
development. Climate change may increase the frequency of these high
temperatures. Excessively high temperatures (greater than 35 C) during the
day can reduce photosynthesis, while warm nights (above 25 C) mean, that leaf
temperature and plant respiration remain high. Maintenance respiration can
double for every 10 C rise in temperature.
Yet, climate change may also raise minimum temperatures. Low temperatures
after sowing increase the time to emergence and reduce cotton seedling vigour
often leading to poor establishment, poor early growth and increased risk of
seedling diseases. In some cotton producing regions in Australia, the number of
cold shocks, i.e. days when minimum temperatures are below 11 C, is
important in early cotton growth, between mid-September and the end of
November, and can be significantly reduced by climate change to the benefit of
cotton production.

The impacts of climate change on the cotton industry

Written by Eddie Hay
Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

How farmers are adapting to and mitigating greenhouse gas

emissions on their farms
The following potential adaptation measures have been identified:
-

Stop any unnecessary loss of nutrients for the farming system, preventing
soil erosion and abandoning the burning of cotton crop residues where still
applied.
Favour a cropland design that has plant diversity and that favours soil
fertility management; for example, through the inclusion of cover crops or
perennials.
Adjust sowing dates to offset moisture stress during the warm period, to
prevent pest outbreaks, and to make best use of the length of the growing
season.
Minimize the period that land lays bare, in order to slow down loss of
organic matter and soil humidity, and soil erosion in general.
Minimize soil tillage in order to prevent loss of soil organic matter a
natural source of soil fertility and a means of storing water for plant
uptake.
Breed cotton varieties that are more resistant to heat stress, drought
spells, weeds, pests and diseases, etc.
Optimize the use of sustainable, natural fertilizing sources in cotton
production, including nitrogen fixing crop rotations, compost and
composted manure.
Optimize the efficiency of additional fertilizer use where required, because
of its costs and carbon fuel footprint. Synthetic fertilizer use is particularly
high in irrigated agriculture. Optimize the water-use efficiency in the
production of irrigated cotton, because of the irrigation waters costs and
carbon fuel footprint.
Optimize the use of industrial preparations such as pesticides, herbicides
and defoliants because of their costs and carbon fuel footprint.

How farmers are adapting to and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions on their
farms

Written by Eddie Hay

Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

How does renewable energy fi t into this?

Energy use efficiency:
Energy use efficiency describes the total amount of energy used on farm (in the
form of electricity, diesel, or other sources) compared to the amount of
production. If energy consumed can be reduced, while production is maintained
or increased, energy use efficiency is improved. This may be one of the fastest
and easiest ways to improve profitability, and will also reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions.
Water use efficiency (how much water is applied to the root zone, divided by the
total amount of water pumped) is the key driver of energy use efficiency because
it reduces the total amount of water that is required to be pumped.
Pump efficiency and engine efficiency are the next most important factors in
total farm energy use efficiency.

Energy consumption:
Irrigation pumping is the major energy consumer in cotton production. Irrigation
typically accounts for 45 percent of all energy that is directly used on farm for
river irrigation, and up to 75 percent for bore irrigation, with diesel use in tractors
and machinery the next largest consumers of energy on farm.

Monitoring and assessment:

Research indicates there are significant opportunities to reduce energy - and
therefore costs! - on Australian cotton farms.
Monitoring energy use can be as simple as using EnergyCalc to estimate use and
costs, and tracking these costs over time. An audit can also identify energy and
cost savings, such as fuel switching and tariff negotiation. This is where the
CottonInfo team can help: our regional development officers are conducting
energy assessments and audits on farm to help identify areas for energy
consumption improvement, and to reduce costs. Talk to one of our team today to
request your on-farm energy assessment.

Greenhouse gas emissions:

As well as being a major cost, diesel and electricity are also significant
contributors to GHG emissions. So maximising energy efficiency can not only
help your bottom line, but also help support the industry's push for
sustainability.
Other sources of GHG emissions in cotton production are from biologically
generated soil emissions and from indirect energy use, related to the energy
consumed by production processes used to create farm inputs such as fertiliser
(particularly nitrogen) and chemicals. The biological release of emissions due to
soil tillage/disturbance and applications of nitrogen fertiliser can be determined
by using the Cotton Greenhouse Gas Calculator.
Energy saving practices:
Significant efficiency gains can be made by optimising pump performance to
reduce diesel consumption. Improved pump efficiency can also lead to increased
water flow rates. More timely irrigation and improved crop yield can result from
assessment of in-field irrigation performances completed as part of this process.
Moving from conventional tillage to minimum tillage can create savings of
around 10 percent of fuel use on farm.
Ensuring equipment is well maintained and operating efficiently is particularly
important for high energy use operations such as picking.
The integration of diesel-gas systems, where LPG is injected into the diesel
stream to improve the efficiency of the fuel burn in an engine, has been shown to
result in fuel and GHG savings.

Alternative energy sources:

-

LPG Gas: injected into diesel engines improves diesel combustion and
creates a slightly cheaper energy source than pure diesel. There are many
suppliers with off the shelf injection systems that will suit most
motors. Importantly, this is only the case for electronically injected diesel
engines. LPG injection increases costs for mechanically injected engines.
LPG electronic injection systems release lower emissions than diesel.
Electricity: has the highest emissions of any energy source and is similar in
cost to diesel.
Biodiesel: invoiced as either B5 or B20 receive the Commonwealth
Government fuel rebate on the full amount of the fuel. Other blends
receive a rebate only on the diesel portion of the mix.
Biofuels: made from waste energy sources such as tallow (animal fat), and
are economically viable as they are cheaper to produce than diesel (and
commercially available from suppliers in Brisbane). Biofuels have a slightly

lower combustion efficiency than diesel due to differences in calorific

value and viscosity, therefore these fuels need to be around 2
percent cheaper than diesel to reach real price parity. The cotton industry
has the capacity to be self sufficient in energy supplied through cotton
seed oil. Unfortunately at $300 per tonne of seed, cotton seed biodiesel is
priced at around $2.50 per litre, which is cost prohibitive.
Coal Seam Gas (CSG): technically an alternative energy option, however a
survey of growers found high levels of resistance to CSG due to
environmental concerns. It was rated as not an option by 61 percent of
those surveyed.
Solar PV: an option to offset workshop and domestic electricity demand,
but is a less feasible energy source for pumping large volumes of water.
Wind Power: considered unviable in cotton growing areas due to the low
reliability of wind and high generation costs.
Hydro power: Like wind power, the reliability of water is too low in cotton
growing regions to make effective use of the high capital investment
required for hydro power.

So what should you do on your farm?

-

Perform a pump test to identify how efficiently your pumps are operating
and what savings can be made. (Installing an hour metre on a pump is a
low cost strategy that can provide valuable information on how to
prioritise pump improvements).
Record farm energy usage or use the EnergyCalc tool to identify where the
most energy is consumed and how efficiently it is used.
Explore ways to reduce energy use by focusing on high energy input
areas. Investigate opportunities to reduce energy inputs by changing
practices or doing the same operation more efficiently
Maintain machinery and equipment and ensure modifications do not affect
their efficiency.
Consider the impact on energy use efficiency when making changes to
farm management or investing in new equipment or infrastructure.

How does renewable energy fit into this?

Written by Eddie Hay
Contact: edward.j.hay@gmail.com

Reference List:
-

http://www.cottoninfo.com.au/energy-use-efficiency
http://qff.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/ClimateChangeReport_lowres1.pdf
http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/soilcarbon/
http://cottonaustralia.com.au/uploads/resources/Cotton_Australia_Educatio
n_Kit_-_Secondary.pdf
http://generalaviationnews.com/2014/10/19/making-a-living-as-an-ag-pilot/
http://www.avjobs.com/careers/detail.asp?Job_Title=Pilot&Category=In
%20Flight&Related=Agricultural%20Pilot&RecID=103
http://cottonaustralia.com.au/cotton-library/fact-sheets/cotton-fact-fileclimate-change
https://art4agriculturechat.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/james-kanaleylives-to-work-breathe-and-love-agriculture-in-rural-australia/
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/content/education/resources-for-schools
http://archibullprize.com.au/careers/index.html