Yenda Producers agronomist, Kate Smith. Photo: Supplied

A new generation of agricultural professionals is bringing fresh energy to potato production across Australia through a hunger to learn, embracing innovative thinking.

Among them is Kate Smith, who took part in the inaugural Syngenta Potato Partners Young Potato Agronomist Program launched in Adelaide in June 2024.

Despite growing up “smack bang in the middle of Sydney”, Kate developed a passion for agriculture at a young age through the Farm Day program that connected city and farming families from 2006 to 2012.

“My parents signed us up for three or four years, and we were placed with a farming family or couple at a busy time of year so you can see what’s happening,” she said.

“You just help out on the farm for as long as they want you."

These early experiences left a lasting impression. Despite agriculture not being offered as a subject at her high school, Kate chose to study a Bachelor of Agriculture, majoring in plant science, at the University of New England, in Armidale.

She gained valuable hands-on experience through summer jobs, which introduced her to agronomy and pointed her in that direction.

Internship pays off

In November 2022, Kate began an internship jointly funded by CSIRO and Yenda Producers Co-op, a leading agricultural retailer in the Riverina region of New South Wales.

What was initially meant to be a two-month placement at Yenda Producers quickly turned into a full-time position as a horticultural agronomist.

“I was only going to be here, really for two months, but I fell in love with the place and the job and the team here,” she said.

“It’s a really nice supportive team. And the first couple of days I was here, I was out in the spuds with the agronomist at the time that was doing it, and I just loved it straight away.”

The Riverina is a large potato production region in Australia, accounting for most of the potatoes grown in NSW.

It is also home to a diverse range of horticulture crops, from potatoes and other vegetables to citrus, stonefruit, tree nuts, grapes and a wide range of grain crops.

“Spuds is probably the one [crop] that is the most intensive,” Kate said.

“You’ve got to be out there twice a week. We have such high insect and pest pressure, and disease pressure, so we’re in the spud crop a lot more than we are in some other crops here.”

Riverina potatoes are grown for the fresh market, usually sold as brushed, and often achieve a price premium for their attractive appearance thanks to the red sandy loam soils they grow in.

While corporate clients mostly leave fields bare fallow between potato crops, Kate said others opted for a mixture of crops – which might include pumpkins, hemp, vetch, garlic, wheat or barley – depending on the season and what the markets are doing.

Learning and growing networks

Kate nominated the field trips to Tasmania as her highlights of the Syngenta Potato Partners Potato Young Agronomist Program.

“Those are probably the best parts of the whole program,” she said.

Apart from walking around paddocks and quizzing Syngenta specialists, researchers, growers and their agronomists, the trips opened her eyes to other parts of the industry, such as processing and seed potato production.

“We met one or two consultants down there who work closely with growers but also with processing houses, where they cut seed and then process seed for growers to keep it clean and disease free,” she said.

“That’s a whole side of agronomy that I don’t have a lot to do with, so that was really good for me to see.”

New perspective guides vision

Kate’s five-year vision reflects her commitment to the industry, and new insights from the program.

She plans to continue working in the Riverina with potato growers, but now aspires to become more involved in the post-harvest aspects of potato production – being able to pinpoint the impact of water or disease issues on tubers and use that information to “up our game” in following crops.

Kate said she especially enjoyed the collaborative nature of her work.

“I work with some really amazing clients, really passionate farmers who are brilliant at what they do,” she said.

“I quite like that – the ability to work with each individual client and figuring out what exactly works for them in their farming systems. Everyone’s a little bit different.”

The inaugural Potato Young Agronomist Program operated during the 2024-2025 growing season, with events timed to align with the crop cycle.

Places on the program were offered to 13 potato agronomists with up to three years’ experience who were working at a platinum level Syngenta Potato Partner store in Australia.

The program included admission to the 2024 World Potato Congress, along with a mix of online webinars and in-person workshops.

This article appeared at syngenta.com.au