Matthew Hyde is a fifth-generation farmer from Dalwallinu in Western Australia. A participant in this year’s GrainGrowers Australian Grain Leaders Program (AGLP), Matt studied Agribusiness at Curtin University after leaving school, before returning home to farm with his parents in the 100% cropping business.
Matt has found that being a part of the AGLP has contributed to all areas of his personal development, including evolving the content of his own program project focused on mitigating risk on farm.
“It’s always going to be what you make of it. The more you put in, the more you get out, but it has been all encompassing trying to juggle the program with the responsibilities of full-time farming," he said.
"The support system and personal development, however, is unrivalled, it’s been amazing, and the people have been super interesting. It’s fascinating to chat to all different members of the ag industry and the other people in the group are amazing.”
As a part of his project, Matt is interested in how attitudes to risk impacts business decision making and is looking into how grain producers across the country manage risk.
“Only four years back on farm for me, it’s taking a while to develop my response to risk and knowing what to do.”
The AGLP has offered Matt the connections to advance his project’s subject matter.
“It’s fascinating speaking to all the people in the group, some of whom are up in uncharted territory in Queensland in grain production, and learning about all the different landscapes. So many learnings you can take away just from speaking to them.”
For Matt, one of the biggest things he can think of to help build a better grains industry is by creating awareness beyond the immediate industry itself.
“The grains industry is more than being a farmer and being on the land – that's only one aspect of the grains industry. It’s incredibly broad, we have motor mechanics and agronomists and so many more jobs and opportunities.”
While he’s never attended the GrainGrowers’ Innovation Generation conference before, he says he’s heard great things.
"A few of the other AGLP participants have been before and all spoke very highly of it.”
Innovation Generation, the conference for young people in ag aged 18-35, is on for the 17th year on the Gold Coast, 23-25 July. Tailored to young growers, young professionals and students, Innovation Generation is filled with future-focused activities to empower future ag leaders to tackle national industry opportunities and challenges.
A market-leading professional development experience that is home to new, innovative ideas and tech. If you'd like to chat to Matt in person about his work and the Australian Grain Leaders Program, you can find him at #IG24.
Visit Innovation Generation here: https://www.innovationgeneration.com.au/
