SOUTHERN CROSS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD NOMINATION FORM

Nominee* Jessica Coad

Address* tiar, UTas, private bag 3523, Burnie, TAS, 7230

Mobile 0428 717 610

Email* jrcoad@utas.edu.au Date of Birth* 06 January 1983 Age as at

31/12/2009 26 years

State of Origin* Queensland Current Residence* Tasmania Period* 17

years

Local Government Area* Waratah-Wynyard Local Paper/Radio The Advocate

Categories Nominated:*
Regional Initiative √ Agricultural √

Name of Nominator Jeannie-Marie Leroi

Title/Position Science, Engineering and Technology Marketing and
Communications Officer
Address University of Tasmania, Private Bag 50, Hobart Postcode 7005
Email JeannieMarie.Leroi@utas.edu.au
Tel (Wk) ( 03 ) 6226 7477

Has the Nominee been nominated previously? Yes / No - 2008 semi-finalist

environment category.
How did you hear about the Awards?* Via nomination, email and media.

I have read and accept the conditions of entry.*

Signature (Nominator/Nominee)*

REFEREES* – Please indicate two people who are conversant with the
nominee’s achievements and who would act as referees for this nomination.

1. Name Peter Tyson

Title/Position Extension leader, dairy centre, tiar
Address Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural research, Cuthbertson
Research Laboratories, University of Tasmania, private bag 3523, Burnie,
TAS Postcode* 7230
Email* Peter.Tyson@utas.edu.au
Tel (Wk) (03) 64217 692 Mobile 0408 140 820

2. Name Dr Danny Donaghy

Title/Position Dairy centre leader, tiar
Address Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural research, Cuthbertson
Research Laboratories, University of Tasmania, private bag 3523, Burnie,
TAS Postcode* 7230
Email* Danny.Donaghy@utas.edu.au
Tel (Wk) (03) 6430 4937 Mobile 0408 994 177
*MUST BE COMPLETED AND
*MUST SUBMIT ONE UNBOUND PHOTOCOPY OF ENTIRE NOMINATION
INCLUDING ALL SUPPORT MATERIAL

SOUTHERN CROSS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD

Profile for media

Name: Jessica Coad
Age: 26
Residence: Launceston
Education: Wynyard High and Yolla District High School, Hellyer College, University of Tasmania Bachelor of
Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Applied Science: Agriculture (first class honours), current PhD candidate.
Experience: Five years working within Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (tiar) dairy and natural resource
management groups on an array of projects. These projects include investigations on nutrient budgeting on dairy farms,
phosphorus fixation in soil, risk of heavy metal accumulation in crops from biosolids use, impact of riparian amendments
on water quality, and impact of wildlife browsing on pastures.
Nominated for: Agriculture and Regional Initiative categories.

Summary
Currently a PhD candidate, I have worked within tiar for five years. In that time I have been involved in scientifically,
agriculturally, and environmentally significant projects. These projects include;

• Dairy Australia funded ($1.2 million) National Accounting for Nutrients on Australian Dairy Farms programme,

• Commonwealth funded ($4 million) Alternatives to 1080 programme, Impact of Wildlife Browsing on Tasmanian
Pastures,

• Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities funded ($7.9 million) Landscape Logic programme, project 4,

• National Landcare Programme and DairyTas funded ($130,000) Nutrient Budgeting in the Montagu Catchment,

• National Landcare Programme funded ($152,000) Biosolids Use and Heavy Metal Accumulation in Crops, and

• Dairy Australia and industry funded ($120,000) Defining Soil Phosphorus Maintenance Requirements of Dairy
Pasture Soils.

All these projects have a significant direct or indirect impact on the farming community at both a local, national and
international scale. The work in the Montagu Catchment, not only had a direct impact on the local community, but
also a significant impact on the dairy industry on a state and ultimately national scale. Results of the wildlife browsing
research will have significant impact on wildlife management and primary production in Tasmania in the very near
future. As the project title suggests, accounting for nutrients on Australian dairy farms will have a national impact on
the dairy industry. While the heavy metal and biosolids, water quality and riparian amendments, and defining soil
maintenance P fertiliser requirements projects, which were all undertaken in Tasmania, can be adopted both
nationally and internationally. By being involved in these projects I have assisted farmers to improve productivity to
the benefit of their livelihood and the Australian economy, ensuring environmental sustainability, as well as
contributed to scientific understanding and that of the general public.
SOUTHERN CROSS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD
General Criteria

The youngest and only member in my family to undertake study beyond secondary level, I graduated with a Bachelor of
Agricultural Science in 2004. In 2005 I commenced with the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (tiar) as a
project officer and progressed through to project manager. On top of working full time, I also completed First Class
Honours in 2006. I commenced full time study on my PhD in February 2009, while working the equivalent of one day a
week within tiar.

I have always relished in the ideal of helping farmers refine their operations, and by doing so I believe my employment
roles and study have strengthened my ability to help, not just farmers, but the whole community. I am often reminded,
there have been and will be many sacrifices made until my PhD is complete, however I believe that all learnt will be
extremely beneficial to both me and the people surrounding me alike.

The variety of research projects that I have been involved in over the relatively short five year period have had significant
direct or indirect impacts on the farming community at both a local, national and international scale. All of the projects
assist farmers to improve productivity to the benefit of their livelihood and the Australian economy, along with
environmental sustainability for the surrounding communities.

For all the projects I was involved with, I ensured a high level of interaction with the general public, students, media,
farmers, industry personnel, extension officers, researchers and academics on a frequent basis through;

• Presenting project progress and outcomes to a range of stakeholders and audiences through radio interviews, field
days, meetings, workshops, and national conferences,

• Regularly publishing articles in general press and industry newsletters, in addition to conference proceedings,

• Production of milestone and final reports, and scientific publications for funding bodies, farmers, scientific audiences
and the general public alike.

• Lecturing to Agricultural Science undergraduates at Utas.

I am often called upon to present at field days, workshops and seminars for both government (tiar, DPIPWE, Greening
Australia, UTas) and private (ARM consulting, DairyTas) organisations. I have volunteered my time to numerous roles to
supervise, educate and encourage students into the science field (National Science Week, Taste of Agricultural Science,
Primary Industry Placement scholarship recipients, work experience students, Agricultural Science Summer Studentship
recipients, lecturing UTas School of Agricultural Science undergraduates, and judging roles at numerous School Science
Fairs).

While science is my main line of work, I hold other interests where I can more readily utilise my creative flair. These
include fashion design and creation, and landscaping. For my first collection I was awarded Most Favoured Designer at
the 2008 Mercury Fashion Awards. Also in 2008, I won Fashions on the Field at Launceston Cup and represented
Tasmania at the Melbourne Cup Carnival after winning in Hobart, on both occasions in outfits I designed and made. Self-
taught, I have no formal training in dress design or making. Landscaping combines my agricultural/horticultural knowledge
with my creative desire in a manner that is rewarding both personally and for the client.
SOUTHERN CROSS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD
Over the past five years I have been able to assist farmers to become more environmentally aware to the benefit of their
livelihood, sustainability, and the surrounding communities on both a local, national and international scale. I have been
fortunate to have been involved with a wide range of projects, including;

• Tasmanian Project Manager of the Dairy Australia funded ($1.2 million) National Accounting for Nutrients on
Australian Dairy Farms programme. http://www.accounting4nutrients.com.au/
This project is aimed at developing a nationally agreed framework for accounting for nitrogen, phosphorus (P), potassium,
sulphur, calcium and magnesium for the Australian dairy industry. Nutrient accounting is a technique used to quantify
nutrient inputs and outputs either at a whole-farm or field scale, in order to determine nutrient deficits or surpluses, in an
attempt to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses from agriculture. Nutrient accounting has been
widely used to assist on-farm nutrient management decisions, in research to identify major nutrient pools, transformations
and losses, to enable farmers to access cost-sharing support from governments, and in some countries as a major
regulatory tool.

Benefits from the accounting for nutrients project include:

• Increased efficiency of pasture production through optimal and targeted nutrient use by the Australian dairy
industry,
• Reduced nutrient imbalances in soils and decreased nutrient losses from dairy farms to surface and ground
water, and the atmosphere

• More targeted and informed nutrient management advice

• Farmers and advisers more informed about the constraints that landscape characteristics impose on nutrient
management
• More regular and extensive soil testing of dairy farms and improved knowledge in soil test interpretations
• Reduced risk of economic and environmental trade barriers to export markets
• A national standard for nutrient accounting which will inform future policy options for achieving improved nutrient
management on dairy farms

• Project manager for a component of the Commonwealth funded ($4 million) Alternatives to 1080 programme, Impact
of Wildlife Browsing on Tasmanian Pastures.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/regions/content/2007/s2366553.htm
http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/864806/1080-newsletter-edition13-oct08.pdf (Page 3)
Native marsupial species such as Tasmanian Pademelon and Bennett's Wallaby, can cause serious browsing damage on
native and introduced pastures supporting agricultural production, as well as native vegetation within bushlands. This
project measures the impact of native herbivores, both individually and combined, on the availability of pasture for
agricultural production at a range of spatial scales from paddock to catchment. This will allow landholders and managers
to undertake objective benefit cost analyses of alternative control mechanisms to 1080 in pasture production systems.
This project not only has significant ramifications for farmers, but highlights the importance in understanding the potential
impact control methods may have on native vegetation species (such as rare orchids ) within bushlands.
• Project officer for project 4 of the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities funded ($7.9 million) Landscape
Logic programme.
http://www.landscapelogic.org.au/projects/project4.html
By developing new knowledge and improved assumptions about water quality responses to changes in land use, land
management and previous landscape interventions (e.g. riparian zone fencing & revegetation, willow removal), riverine
and estuarine health and function can be deciphered. The section I was directly involved with focussed on examining
relationships between historic data on water quality and the land intervention of investment in riparian buffer zones, for
multiple Tasmanian catchments. By improving understanding of the effectiveness of past intervention, improved
understanding of a) relationships between land use, water quality, quantity and river & estuarine health, b) improved
management of investment in river & estuarine condition, and c) how to maintain/improve river & estuarine health, will
result.

• Project National Landcare Programme funded ($152,000) Biosolids Use and Heavy Metal Accumulation in Crops.
Biosolids are by-products from the treatment of urban wastewaters and contain essential nutrients and organic matter that
can promote plant production. However, biosolids also contain heavy metal contaminants such as cadmium (Cd) and zinc
which can accumulate in soil after repeated application. Accumulation can also occur in the plant and reduce plant growth
through phytotoxicity. However, accumulation of heavy metals in plants above the maximum permitted concentration set
by the National Food Authority can occur before phytotoxicity. For example, unacceptable concentrations of Cd is a food
safety risk, since it is readily accumulated in the edible portion of crop plants. Accumulation of heavy metals in the soils
can be considered permanent, except for quantities taken up via harvested plant tissue.

• National Landcare Programme and DairyTas funded ($130,000) Nutrient Budgeting in the Montagu Catchment.
The Montagu River was identified in the State of the Rivers (SOR) report in 2004 as being the most degraded in the State
of Tasmania by the DPIW in terms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads. An analysis of the SOR data concluded that
an intensively grazed dairy area within this catchment was likely to be a major contributor to the high N and P loads in the
Montagu River. The aim of the project was to use nutrient distribution maps and a nutrient budgeting framework to
improve awareness of nutrient management in the Montagu catchment and reduce the risk of nutrient loss to the Montagu
River. Nutrient budgeting is an internationally recognised farm management tool which accounts for the amount of
nutrients imported and exported from a farm. This tool allows farmers to calculate their nutrient requirements in order to
reach or maintain a critical soil nutrient status that allows maximum pasture production, while minimizing environmental
loss. Such an intensive study of this kind had never before been conducted in Australia, or mostly likely the world.

• Dairy Australia and industry funded ($120,000) Defining Soil Phosphorus Maintenance Requirements of Dairy Pasture
Soils.
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/CART78GVWJ/$FILE/23%20Pasture%20Plu$%20News%20Nov07.pdf
The use of P fertiliser to maintain optimum pasture production is widespread in temperate Australia. However, to remain
economically and environmentally viable, P fertiliser applications must be based on sound science. Little work has been
conducted on defining P fertiliser application rates required to maintain the optimum pasture soil P concentrations, across
a broad range of soil types and P buffering indices (PBI).

Low PBI sandy soils must be managed carefully and independent of other soil types to reduce any negative impacts of
nutrient loss. There was an inability to build and maintain extractable P concentrations in this study at sites on sandy soils.
These observed abnormalities suggest that nutrients, in particular P, are moving through the soil profile below the surface
100 mm sampling depth. This is an important finding, as it indicates that these sandy soils may be more prone to
environmental loss of nutrients, such as P, which has high environmental costs. Research to measure the quantity of
downward P movement in low PBI soils and its likely impact on the environment is required. Alternative less soluble P
sources such as reactive rock phosphate, may need to replace the traditional highly soluble P fertilisers currently used on
such soils. The need for more research on defining P maintenance requirements of Australian soils is pertinent.

• Australian postgraduate award recipient and Dairy Australia funded PhD ‘Managing phosphorus in intensive
pasture soils to improve the long term environmental sustainability of the dairy industry.
Phosphorus (P) contained in surface runoff from intensively managed pastures can contribute to eutrophication of surface
waters. Surface runoff concentrations are strongly related to soil P concentrations. Soil P concentrations above agronomic
optimum represents an unnecessary environmental risk. If the Australian Dairy industry is to be seen as both
economically and environmentally sustainable, more emphasis needs to be placed on reducing high soil P concentrations
in pasture soils. In addition, measures need to be taken to ensure the soils do not increase beyond agronomic optimum.
However few options for reducing environmental P loss have been proposed that land owners will readily adopt. My PhD
will be investigating the effect of omitting P fertiliser on soil P concentration over time, and surface runoff as effective
methods of reducing the impact on the environment.

All these projects have a significant direct or indirect impact on the farming and research community at both a local,
national and international scale. The work in the Montagu Catchment, which involved the participation of 29 out of 30
farmers, had a direct impact on the local community, but also a significant impact on the dairy industry on a state scale.
Several similar projects have since been undertaken in Tasmania (Duck, Flowerdale, Ringarooma and Jordan
catchments). The work regarding wildlife browsing will have significant impact on primary production and wildlife
management in Tasmania in the very near future. Accounting for nutrients on Australian Dairy farms will have both a local
and national impact on fertiliser use and nutrient management on dairy farms. Work from my PhD, the biosolid work,
landscape logics’ water quality and riparian amendments, and defining Australian soil P fertiliser maintenance
requirements projects, while researched in Tasmania, can be adopted locally, nationally and internationally. All these
projects have ensured environmental sustainability of the agricultural industry, as well as contributed to farmer, scientific
and the general publics understanding of the respective issues and findings.

For the various projects, I have worked in collaboration with a number of fellow researchers from across Australia, namely
Dr Lucy Burkitt, Dr Bill Cotching and Professor Tony Norton. In all cases I have been responsible for the general running
of the projects, ensuring all aspects (harvest scheduling, data management and analysis, milestone reports for funding
bodies, media, scientific publications, and supervision of casual staff, visiting scientists and students) were completed to a
high standard. As a result I regularly converse one on one with farmers in the paddock, industry representatives at
meetings and field days, reporters from various media, regulatory personnel at meetings, technical staff from laboratories
across Australia, and fellow researchers from across the world at conferences and workshops. All of which share the
same interest as me after asking the same question, WHY?
http://www.youngtassiescientists.com/2007/scientists.html
http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/722227/contours-winter-2008.pdf
Research Publications Submitted

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Influence of sample depth (75 and 100 mm) on extractable nutrient concentration and
phosphorus buffering index of pasture soils in south eastern Australia’, Australian Journal of Soil Science

Cotching, WE and Coad, JR, ‘Metal element uptake in vegetables after biosolids application to a sandy loam soil in a
glasshouse experiment’ Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, September 2008

Conference Publication

Coad, JR and Cotching, WE, ‘Metal element uptake in vegetables after biosolids application to a sandy loam soil in a
glasshouse experiment’, Proceedings of the Australian Water Association (AWA) Biosolids Specialty IV Conference, 11-
12 June 2008, Adelaide, South Australia

Cotching, WE and Coad, JR, ‘Metal element uptake in vegetables after biosolids application to a sandy loam soil in a
glasshouse experiment’, Proceedings of the Joint Soils Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Societies of Soil
Science, 1-5 December 2008, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Coad, JR, Depth of knowledge important, Proceedings of the Australian Dairy Conference, February 2008, Launceston,
Tasmania

Coad, JR, ‘Making dollars and sense out of nutrient budgets’, Proceedings of the Australian Dairy Conference, 26
February - 1 March 2007, Shepparton, Victoria

Burkitt, LL and Coad, JR, ‘A study of the soil phosphorus concentrations on every dairy farm in an intensively grazed
catchment in north-west Tasmania, Australia’, Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Phosphorus Dynamics
in the Soil-Plant Continum, 14-19 May 2006, Uberlandia, Brasil, pp. 197-198.

Burkitt, LL and Coad, JR and Cotching, WE, ‘Effect of soil sample preparation on extractable P, K and S concentrations’,
Proceedings of the ASSSI-ASPAC National Soils Conference, 3-7 December 2006, University of Adelaide, South
Australia, pp. pp 16.

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Influence of soil sample depth (75mm vs 100mm) on soil nutrient concentrations and
phosphorus buffering index’, Proceedings of the ASSSI-ASPAC National Soils Conference, 3-7 December 2006, Adelaide
University, South Australia, pp. pp 34.

Coad, JR and Cotching, WE, ‘Metal element uptake in vegetables after biosolids application to a sandy loam soil in a
glasshouse experiment’, Proceedings of the Australian Soil Science Society/Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council
Conference, 3-7 December 2006, Adelaide, South Australia

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Nutrient distribution of surface drained pasture systems in North West Tasmania’, Proceedings
of the ASSSI-ASPAC National Soils Conference, 3-7 December 2006, Adelaide University, South Australia, pp. pp 15.

Contract Report, Consultant's Report

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, Mapping Soil Nutrient Distribution in the Montagu Catchment, DairyTas, Final (2006)

Other Public Output

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Milk, Money and Muck’, Tassie Dairy News, Issue 10, November 2009 [Internal Newsletter]

Coad, JR, ‘Impact of wildlife browsing on Tasmanian Pastures’ ABC Radio rural report, August (2008) [Media Interview]

Coad, JR, ‘Impact of wildlife browsing on Tasmanian Pastures’ WIN Television, August (2008) [Media Interview]

Burkitt, LL and Coad, JR and Gourley, CJP, ‘Drawing phosphorus from the soil bank’, Australian Dairy Farmer,
Melbourne, Victoria, May-June (2008) [Magazine Article]
Coad, JR, ‘Accounting for Nutrients on Australian Dairy Farms’, Tas Regions, December 2008

Coad, JR, ‘Farmers pile it on too thick - Fertiliser Warning’, The Weekly Times, Melbourne, Victoria, April 4 (2007)
[Newspaper Article]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Project tests farm nutrient levels’, Circular Head Chronicle, 15 February (2006) [Newspaper
Article]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL and Gourley, C, ‘Defining Soil Phosphorus Maintenance for Dairy Pasture Soils’, The Australian
Dairy Farmer, Melbourne, Victoria (2005) [Magazine Article]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Defining soil phosphorus maintenance for soil on dairy farms’, TOP Newsletter, September
(2005) [Internal Newsletter]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Farmers save big $’, TOP Newsletter, June (2005) [Internal Newsletter]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL and Smith, M, Nutrient Budgeting Programme, Circular Head Chronicle, Burnie, Tasmania
(2005) [Newspaper Article]

Coad, JR, ‘Montagu Catchment - Nutrient Budgeting’, Coast FM, Burnie, Tasmania, 10.15 am, Friday 28 Oct 05 (2005)
[Media Interview]

Coad, JR and Burkitt, LL, ‘Nutrient Budgeting can save Farmers $$$$’, The Advocate Newspaper, Burnie, Tasmania
(2005) [Newspaper Article]

Links of interest
Involvement with the community
http://www.youngtassiescientists.com/2007/scientists/Jessica.html

http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/groundcover?
item_id=publicationissue60&article_id=482BC5CCA10D4990F10073F581B44B15

Young Dairy Scientist Communication Award

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/regions/content/2007/s2120382.htm

http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/722227/contours-winter-2008.pdf
Examples of general press articles for agricultural and general public awareness: The Advocate, 7th and 8th August 2008,
ABC News, Southern Cross News and ABC radio http://www.abc.net.au/rural/regions/content/2007/s2366553.htm
Example of public being alerted to research being undertaken within the dairy industry:
http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/358041/sustainable_booklet.pdf
Example of agricultural and general public targeted press: Tas Regions December 2008
Example of dairy farmer targeted press: Tassie Dairy News, Issue 10, November 2009