Harry Tyson is heading to the USA and Europe. Photo: Supplied.
A Wagga turf farmer is set to travel the world searching for smarter ways to grow grass after being named one of Australia’s newest Nuffield scholars.
Harry Tyson, whose family has operated a turf farm in Wagga for about 35 years, will spend the next 18 months investigating automation and sustainable farming practices in some of the world’s most advanced turf-growing countries.
The 29-year-old plans to visit the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands to see how new technology could make turf farming more efficient, cut costs and reduce its environmental footprint.
“I’m not looking for a silver bullet,” Mr Tyson said.
“I want to learn how we can make our business as sustainable and efficient as possible, while still maintaining the bottom line.”
Turf farming involves growing grass specifically for use on sports fields, golf courses, parks and other high-use surfaces.
Rather than growing grass from seed, turf farms propagate specialised varieties using planting machines, which establish runners across the growing area before the mature turf is harvested and cut into rolls or slabs ready to be laid elsewhere.
“We’re trying to be as efficient with water as we can, both because of the cost and because of the sustainability side of it,” he said.
His Nuffield project will investigate how automation and other emerging technologies can be incorporated into turf farms without compromising the quality of the crop.
Harry grew up in Wagga and went to school in Canberra.
Mr Tyson, who did his schooling at Canberra Grammar, was also a talented rugby centre for the Wagga Waratahs.
“I’ve stopped playing this year; I got sick of waking up and feeling like I’d been in a car crash,” he said.
He’s now focused on his farming and has a strong interest in technology being developed overseas, where turf production is already highly mechanised.
“I’m looking at automation and how you can use technology to get the best outcome for the crop, while keeping it sustainable and maintaining the bottom line,” he said.
The scholarship also comes at an important time for the Tyson family business.
Mr Tyson’s father started the turf farm about 35 years ago and is preparing to retire in the coming years.
“My future is in the family turf business,” Mr Tyson said.
“This is a really good opportunity for me to look at what the future of the industry can look like and bring some of those ideas back to Wagga.”
Mr Tyson thanked Hort Innovation for supporting his scholarship. He is one of two Riverina representatives among the 14 Australians selected for the 2027 Nuffield Scholarship program.
Kristen Clark from Tocumwal will undertake a separate project examining how advanced technology and digital farm models can help dairy farmers make better decisions.
Kristin Clark is from the southern Riverina town of Tocumwal.
Supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, Ms Clark will investigate how digital tools can help dairy producers manage fodder, water and other resources more efficiently, with a particular focus on building resilience during drought.
The pair are among the latest cohort announced at Nuffield Australia’s National Conference in Darwin.
Nuffield scholars receive a $40,000 bursary to undertake 14 weeks of international travel and research over an 18-month period.
They visit farms, agricultural businesses, research institutions and policymakers overseas before bringing their findings back to Australian agriculture.
The 2027 cohort includes farmers and agricultural professionals working across industries ranging from sugarcane and dairy to horticulture and wild-caught prawns.
Nuffield Australia has been providing scholarships for Australian agricultural leaders for 76 years, with its alumni network now spanning generations of farmers and industry leaders.
