Moree Agronome

Normally a rainy day would mean people stay home and indoors but the small agricultural town of Goondiwindi on the Queensland border is a buzz with people. The wet weather is most welcome and gives farmers and others who would normally be out in paddocks the chance to come to town and run errands, shop and grab a coffee.
One such person is local agronomist Leigh Norton. The rain has meant that he is spending his time in the office catching up on paperwork.
The 30 year old agronomist who is employed by B&W Rural Moree has recently been nominated for Australia Young Agronomist of the Year.
“It’s nice to be recognised by the industry but I am not getting to caught up with it,” Norton says.
It’s no wonder, with the recent wet weather and more on the way, keeping the 40 000 hectares of winter
“I check mainly wheat, barley, chickpeas, sorghum, some canola and cotton and I guide growers with crop management decisions”.

When asked what a typical day looks like Norton chuckles and says there is no such thing.

“Most days I will spend in the paddock looking at crops or fallows assessing for weeds, disease or just checking how its performing however at the same time you are taking phone calls with growers about management decisions or catching up for meetings. We also do a lot of soil testing, nutrient management, planning for next season, training and field days”.

So what drives him, “I want to do the best for my clients, I want them to be producing to their potential. It’s a partnership, if they are performing well in their business I feel I am doing my job,” he says.

Although this winter season has the makings of a profitable one for Norton’s clients, agronomy does come with its own set of