• A Charles Sturt alumnus has been selected as one of five Groundbreakers to present at evokeAG this year
• The alumnus works on his family’s farm in Illabo and is piloting green anhydrous ammonia fertiliser
• evokeAG will be held in Brisbane from Tuesday 18 to Wednesday 19 February

A Charles Sturt University alumnus has been recognised as an agricultural innovator and is ready to share his family’s research to an international audience in February.

Mr Tom Norman studied a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga from 2020 to 2023, graduating in April 2024. He grew up in Hurstville in Sydney but has been working fulltime on his family’s farm in Illabo as a fifth-generation farmer since graduation.

Mr Norman was named as one of five Groundbreakers to present at the evokeAG conference in Brisbane from Tuesday 18 to Wednesday 19 February.

The program is for emerging leaders in the agricultural industry, aged 18 to 30 years old, from Australia and New Zealand who are displaying innovation. Participants will be mentored by an industry professional and will share their innovations and research during the conference.

“I was shocked and very excited,” Mr Norman said.

“I love sharing ideas with others and inspiring them to make a difference in the world”.

“I am also excited to share what we are doing on our farm to meet the 2030 emissions targets.”

In 2019, the Normans set up Clean Green Ag, a research and development arm looking into long term future proofing for farms as industries – including agriculture – when facing carbon emission targets and sustainability measures.

In partnership with FarmLink Research, Clean Green Ag is piloting the use of green anhydrous ammonia fertiliser in broadacre cropping in preparation for the 2030 targets.

Mr Norman said the green ammonia is chemically identical to grey ammonia but differs in the manufacturing process.

He believes the switch can reduce their scope 3 carbon emissions by up to 15 per cent with this one change.

“Our family wants to make sure the Australian Agricultural industry is prepared … we need to start thinking about this now,” he said.

“We want to ensure that by doing this research, we are coming up with practical solutions that are scalable and relevant across the country.

“This is not a challenge that can be tackled alone, that is why we really value the expertise of our partners – FarmLink Research, Charles Sturt’s Cool Soil Initiative, Southern NSW Innovation Hub, Hutcheon and Pearce and NAB – on this project.

“It is important to keep in mind that there is no silver bullet when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, it is more like silver buckshot – a variety of strategies together.

“Green ammonia might not be the solution for every farm - it is important to research and discover the solutions that are going to work for each individual situation.”

“We want to help farmers succeed and thrive for generations to come.”

Mr Norman completed seven weeks’ placement on a farm in New Zealand during his studies and said the theory he learned combined with the practical skills was invaluable when he joined his family’s farm.

“University provided me with a great opportunity through placement because I had all the theory and I could see it in practice,” he said.

“Seeing how efficient they were and the way they approached problems, I learned that once you have the heartbeat of the farm going, then you can fix the other problems.

“It expanded my knowledge about the depth that goes into making decisions on the farm and that any decision can have a massive flow-on effect.”

Mr Norman has been able to learn from his grandfather’s and father’s decades of experience and believes that young farmers bring an enthusiasm, energy and passion to the industry.

Charles Sturt’s Agrisciences Research and Business Park (AgriPark) will have an exhibition stand at the event to showcase AgriPark and the University’s latest innovations. AgriPark is also hosting a sideline event, a breakfast on Wednesday 19 February, where announcements will be made and industry leaders can network.

AgriPark Executive Director Mr Nick Pagett said Charles Sturt has a proud legacy of agricultural innovation and evokeAG provides an opportunity to learn about the latest enhancements.

“EvokeAG enables Charles Sturt University to showcase and enhance our agtech innovation initiatives, including our Global Digital Farm and Vineyard of the Future, by engaging with industry experts and exploring the latest advancements in agtech,” he said.

“EvokeAG offers a unique platform for Charles Sturt to collaborate with cutting-edge thinkers and showcase the transformative impact of our projects.”

Mr Pagett said Charles Sturt’s agricultural courses provide practical experience in precision agriculture and he was thrilled to see alumnus Mr Norman recognised as an emerging leader.

“Attending evokeAG highlights the success of Charles Sturt alumni and students as they contribute to advancing agrifood technology, shaping a more sustainable and innovative future for the agriculture sector,” Mr Pagett said.