BIG Brother on The Amazing Race in a professional setting – that’s how Daniel Kahl has described his first overseas block as a 2017 Nuffield scholar.
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Mr Kahl recently returned from eight weeks networking, learning and looking behind the agricultural scenes in Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Ireland, France and New Zealand with other scholars from across the world.
“You’re with eight strangers … you’re given an itinerary, a bunch of hotel, flight and car bookings, and told ‘Off you go’,” he laughed.
He said it was hard to narrow down his insights and experiences to one or two highlights, describing it more as an overall “sharpening of the axe”.
“It’s been quite a motivating experience to come back and sink my teeth in a bit, both from our business and an individual point of view,” he said.
You tend to grow the most personally when you’re not in your comfort zone, and this definitely takes you out of it.
- Daniel Kahl
The Wee Waa man is business manager for his family’s company, Merced Farming.
Mr Kahl’s research focus is investigating where the next generation of farm managers will come from and how to attract quality candidates.
The trip comprised a Contemporary Scholars Conference in Brasilia, with about 80 scholars from the seven Nuffield nations, who then split into smaller and more targeted Global Focus Program groups.
During his trip, Mr Kahl looked at wheat and maize research in Mexico; met senators and a congresswoman in Washington DC; visited a thoroughbred stud in Ireland where one stud horse is guarded 24/7; examined soil in northern France; and talked water issues in New Zealand.
“After eight weeks overseas, I arrived home on Friday night, and I was on the [cotton] picker on Saturday morning,” he said.
His scholarship is supported by Cotton Australia and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
The Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars’ mission is to develop potential and promote excellence in all aspects of Australian agricultural production, distribution and management through the adoption of local and international best practice, and continuous development of a unique network of industry leaders and innovators.
Applications for 2018 scholarships will close on June 16, and Mr Kahl said it was “really a great opportunity”.
“It’s one of those things that it probably will seem like ‘I don’t really have time for that right now’, but you never will,” he said.
“It’s not an opportunity to let slip by; if you’re thinking of having a go, you should just rip in and have a go … You tend to grow the most personally when you’re not in your comfort zone, and this definitely takes you out of it.
“It’s a really great opportunity to develop personally and bring that home into your business and your industry.”
His next trip will be individual travel to go more into depth in his research topic, using the knowledge and contacts he gained during this trip.
But due to other commitments – on the farm, and on the field with the Narrabri Blue Boars – that won’t be until late in the year.
“I’ve got my priorities sorted, so that will be some time after the rugby season: September- October, if the Blue Boars go deep into the finals,” he said.
