Clare-born and bred agriculture student Molly Edmondson has been chosen for the prestigious Hart Field Site Regional Internship.
The 22-year-old is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide and said she hoped to learn more about how plants respond to diseases.
In 2026, Ms Edmondson will spend a year working at the Hart Field Site, researching drought resilience, weed management and soil fertility among other focus areas.
“I’m just excited to explore different research areas, and I think what they do at Hart is important because it creates that close connection between research and growers,” she said.
During her studies, Ms Edmondson completed the mandatory 450 hours of work experience, which included stints at the South Australian Research and Development Institute and AgXtra.
She said working in the industry was both “challenging but rewarding”.
“I think the ag industry is very dynamic and changing, and it provides an important part of what both Australia and the world need,” she said.
“The future of ag is so big and there are a lot of challenges – climate variability, climate change, herbicide resistance – but it also means you get to be part of the solution.”
Ms Edmondson begins her internship in February.
– Content produced with support of the Australian Local News Resilience Project in partnership with the ABC, Deakin University and Griffith University and funded by the Australian Research Council.