• Charles Sturt to host the Innovation Hub at Henty Machinery Field Days
• Staff and alumni will showcase the latest innovations in research, agriculture and farming
• The University will soft launch the new Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the field days

Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) will showcase innovative farming and agriculture at the Innovation Hub at the Henty Machinery Field Days (HMFD) from Tuesday 17 to Thursday 19 September.

The Innovation Hub will feature representatives from the AgriTech Incubator, Boutique Wines by CSU, the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation and Future Moves.

University alumni, staff and researchers will provide a series of hay bale talks on the importance of innovation in driving the future of farming and agriculture.

Senior research fellow in spatial agriculture at the Graham Centre, an alliance between Charles Sturt and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Mr Jonathan Medway will present The Future of Digital Agriculture, a journey through farming technology from the 1990s to today.

Mr Medway will explain how GPS and satellite imagery is aiding in efficient farming.

The technology itself is relatively familiar to 90 per cent of farmers, according to Mr Medway, but he said the University has the ability to educate farmers on how to best use it.

“There’s value in farmers hearing from independent information sources on how to use new and improved technology,” he said.

“The Graham Centre can engage with growers to point them in the right direction.”

Charles Sturt alumna Miss Aimee Snowden grew up on her family farm at Tocumwal and has found a unique way of telling stories of life on the land.

Graduating from Charles Sturt with a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management via online education, Miss Snowden wanted to focus on highlighting the different careers in agriculture, especially to school students.

Five years ago, she discovered LEGO photography online and developed a farming character for Little Brick Pastoral to share the everyday life of Australian farming through the use of building bricks.

“The farming industry is great at saying there’s a huge diversity of careers, but not always good at showing it,” Miss Snowden said.

“I want to work in the career aspiration space and highlight that a career in farming isn’t just about being a farmer.

“I’m sharing the everyday of farming, that’s what resonates and that’s what consumers want to connect with.”

Miss Snowden will speak at the Innovation Hub about how she has established a career in agricultural communications from her family’s farm.

The University will also host a soft launch of the new Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the HMFD and members of the Faculty of Science will be available to provide information on how the course has been developed to encompass emerging industry and innovation needs.

University alumni will be welcomed by the Advancement Office at a networking breakfast at HMFD on Wednesday 18 September from 7.30am.

The full program of hay bale talks and how to register is available on the Charles Sturt website.

The Innovation Hub will be at Block N, site 564 at the HMFD.