Bonus episode: Jacob Birch: Food and Culture Through Native Grains - extended interview

02/09/23 • 29 min

JACOB BIRCH is an academic, entrepreneur and Churchill Fellow passionate about re-awakening, and bringing into a modern context, the native grain foodways that sustained his Gamilaraay ancestors for thousands of generations.
In this episode, Jacob speaks about understanding the agronomy and nutrition of native grasses as well as the potential for cultural and community benefit.

Jacob’s received First Class Honours for a multidisciplinary research project that investigated the nutritional qualities of Australian native grains for human consumption, and Indigenist research methodologies which give agency to First Nations voices and experience.
Jacob led a national consultation to inform the AgriFutures commissioned Australian Native Grains Strategic RD&E Plan.
www.yaamarraandyarral.com.au

This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Previous Episode

Episode 2: Innovation & Decision Making: How do you implement change, without betting the farm?

Making the right decision at the right time is critical to good business and innovation, especially when you add drought or other volatile factors into the mix. So when a new opportunity arises, how do you know you’ll make the ‘right’ choice?

This episode looks at the latest research about on-farm decision-making, as well as stories from farmers, farm consultants and agricultural entrepreneurs about how they made the decision to adopt a new technology or practice.

Farm consultant with Southern Farming Systems, Cam Nicholson shares his decision-making framework of using the ‘head, heart and gut’. Emma Ayliffe, agronomist and founder of Yacker, an app that connects farmers, talks about the value of peer-to-peer research (ie. Calling other farmers!). And Jacob Birch, Gamilaraay man, academic and entrepreneur speaks about how to be culturally appropriate in the decision-making process, especially as the native grains and other indigenous industries grow.

GUESTS

CAM NICHOLSON is a director of Nicon Rural Services, a consulting business near Geelong working with the grazing and cropping industries.

Cam has worked in pasture agronomy and soils for 35 years and has been involved in many farmer programs for the GRDC, MLA, Landcare and the current Future Drought Fund. He provides consultancy advice to farmers and lectures on animal and pasture systems at Marcus Oldham College.

His most recent work has focused on understanding and discussing risk in farming businesses, carbon accounting and decision making. Cam recently helped revamp information and tools for MLA on pastures and soils.

EMMA AYLIFFE is a farmer, researcher and consultant based at Tullibigeal, NSW. After moving from South Australia to New South Wales working as a cotton agronomist, Emma moved to Tullibigeal with her partner where they bought her first 1700 acre farm with the support of Craig’s family.

In 2020-2021, Emma was Australian Young Farmer of the Year. Emma prides herself on being an innovator pushing the boundaries and coming up solutions with farmers problems.
JACOB BIRCH is an academic, entrepreneur and Churchill Fellow passionate about re-awakening, and bringing into a modern context, the native grain foodways that sustained his Gamilaraay ancestors for thousands of generations.

Jacob led a national consultation to inform the AgriFutures commissioned Australian Native Grains Strategic RD&E Plan.

This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Next Episode

Episode 3: Finding Funding & Building Networks

Does big change have to cost big money? It doesn’t have to.

In this episode we look at funding on-farm innovation and building a network which will lead you to new opportunities. We look at all types of financing from debt-financing (ie. asking the bank manager!), to vendor financing, government grants, crowd sourcing, investors and even venture capital.
How do you know which option is best for you? And how do you explore potential opportunities with government or University-based projects which are looking for farmers or technologists to trial their research?

Guests:

Adam Coffey, Coffey Cattle Co.
Adam Coffey owns and operates a 2500ha beef breeding and trading operation on the central coast of Queensland with his wife Jacynta and two boys, Will and Sam.

They are very focused on production efficiency, whilst ensuring they continuously improve the condition of land under their stewardship.

Christine Pitt, Farmers 2 Founders
Christine is a globally recognised thought leader, investor and entrepreneur in the ag+food tech ecosystem. She has a particular interest in building globally networked agrifood ecosystems and creating new business models for raising funds to invest in disruptive innovation across the agrifood value chain. Her passion is to make a positive impact in the areas of sustainability, human health & wellbeing, food waste, food security, and creating transparent and ethical agrifood businesses and value chains.
Christine holds a Bachelor of Science, a Masters of Health Administration, and a Doctor of Business Administration in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Fiona Best, Birchip Cropping Group
In her position as CEO, Fiona works to bring relevant agricultural research and extension opportunities to farming communities by attracting investments to improve the prosperity of broadacre farming locally, regionally and nationally.
After growing up on her mixed enterprise family farm, cropping and producing sheep, Fiona studied a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. Fiona is the regional director of the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.
Emma Ayliffe, Yacker App
Emma is a farmer, researcher and consultant based at Tullibigeal, NSW. After moving from South Australia to New South Wales working as a cotton agronomist, Emma moved to Tullibigeal with her partner where they bought her first 1700 acre farm with the support of Craig’s family.

In 2020-2021, Emma was Australian Young Farmer of the Year. Emma prides herself on being an innovator pushing the boundaries and coming up solutions with farmers problems.

This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.