In the recent appointment of agronomist Phil Bowden to the Pulse Australia team, national manager Gordon Cumming says the peak industry body is taking advantage of the knowledge and industry know-how Phil has accumulated throughout a varied career.
Phil Bowden joins the Pulse Australia industry development team
After graduating from Hawkesbury Agricultural College in 1976, Phil began his career as an agronomist with Agrisearch Services based in Orange and Toowoomba. This was followed by several years working with multinational Schering AG as an agronomist, working at Wee Waa, Warren and Trangie, primarily in cotton trials.
In 1981 Phil started with NSW Agriculture at Gosford Horticulture Research and Advisory Station working on integrated pest management (IPM) in horticulture. This was followed with a move to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) in 1994 as agronomy lecturer at Murrumbidgee College (Yanco).
In 2004 Phil was appointed district agronomist with NSW DPI based at Cootamundra where his interests included IPM in cropping systems and how farmers can enhance biodiversity on farms. Phil completed a Master of Philosophy (Insect Ecology in Canola) by research through Charles Sturt University (CSU).
Phil has mentored many agronomists and SMARTtrain chemical trainers across Australia in IPM techniques to promote the reduction of chemical use and encourage the use of beneficial insects for pest management. Other projects have included alternate stubble management systems to avoid burning and adaptation strategies for climate change on local farms.
Since 2014 he has worked for Murrumbidgee Landcare on the silverleaf nightshade project, funded by MLA (managed by NSW DPI).
Phil’s role with Pulse Australia will support new and existing pulse growers to expand and enhance pulse production in central and southern NSW. His extensive knowledge of the region and its production systems is highly valued on the industry development team.
Phil will maintain the roles he has as a member of the Graham Centre at Wagga Wagga, an Adjunct Associate lecturer at CSU, and on a number of grower advisory groups including the GRDC Grain Pest Advisory Committee (GPAC), the GRDC High Rainfall Zone Regional Cropping Solutions group and the Local Land Services (LLS) Regional weed advisory group. His involvement with Farmlink and Murrumbidgee Landcare will maintain strong links with the farming community.
Contact Phil in the office on 02 694 24 957, mobile 0427 201 946 or email Phil.
More information visit Pulse Australia.