Timothy Green from Wagga Wagga is the winner of this year’s Rural Achiever competition.
His hometown is Nimmitabel, where his family runs runs the Boudjah Merino stud, but his strong interest in research and resistance to chemicals in cropping sees him employed as a technical officer in the cereal pathology team with the Department of Primary Industries at Wagga.
He is currently studying honours through his work at the department, and his aim in the next year is to successfully complete this.
Outside of his professional career, Timothy, 22, wants to promote awareness of mental health, especially in young men, which have double the suicide rate of young women.
In the event’s 28th year, Timothy was one of eight Achievers. The other seven 2018 Achievers are:
Tess Bailey, Forbes: Tess is a mixed veterinarian with a focus on beef cattle, sheep, working dogs and horses and more recently a vet at her local harness races.
Jock Brownhill, Spring Ridge: An agribusiness analyst with a major bank, Jock has a passion for linking economic profit with environmental sustainability in agriculture.
Hanna Darmody, Bungendore: Hanna has embarked on a range of vocational courses to value add to her family’s butchery and pastoral holdings businesses and is keen on educating her local community on the “paddock to plate” philosophy.
Erika Heffer, Deniliquin: An avid writer and social media exponent, Erika is working with the Ricegrowers’ Association as a Local Landcare coordinator passing on her knowledge about improving farming practices.
Joseph Murphy, Bribbaree: Hailing from a village of just 267 residents, Joseph now lives in Wagga Wagga where he graduated in Medicine and is now undertaking an internship as a junior medical officer at the local Rural Referral Hospital.
Thomas Taylor, Grenfell: Thomas has left the family farm to undertake a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in international business, marketing and chinese studies at Sydney University, citing the increased market links to China as a door to even greater export opportunities for our rural sector.
Meg Rice, Parkes: Meg hopes to direct her learning from her Bachelor of Law/Agriculture degree at the University of New England into influencing decisions made at the highest levels of agriculture for the benefit of rural and regional farmers and their communities.
The Rural Achievers participate in a 12-month program that provides a range of networking and professional development opportunities, including a seven day behind-the-scenes experience at the 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show, official functions with RAS councilors and the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW representatives and visits to Government House and the NSW Parliament.
The Rural Achiever event celebrates the contribution young people make to their local rural communities and the agriculture sector.
Timothy will now represent NSW at the 2018 National Rural Ambassador Awards, to be held in Perth next year.
All the NSW finalists receive $2000 in prize money, a 12-month RAS alumni membership and their uniform for the show was supplied by Akubra and Thomas Cook Clothing Company.
