Brad is also the recipient of the 2022 Award for Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by Telstra.

Together with his parents, Brad operates a broadacre cropping enterprise in Scaddan, about 60km northeast of Esperance, WA.

With a passion for precision ag, Brad has enthusiastically introduced a range of data analysis tools and science into the farm's management toolkit.

"Since returning to the farm, I've had a large part in implementing innovative farm management practices into the business. I manage the Agdata on farm, which helps to better characterise soils, understand production constraints, and gain valuable insight into the farm's financial position," Brad said.

"Understanding how data and digitised farm records can support the business is definitely beneficial, and it is helping us across every area of the farm from identifying farm performance, analysing the results of on-farm trials, through to implementing a diverse cropping rotation."

Ben White, General Manager of Research at Kondinin Group, said Brad's analytical skills together with his agronomy work and focus on precision agriculture showed a young farmer with a very bright future ahead.

"Brad has clearly shown how you can introduce data-driven programs and decision-making tools to support a productive farm. His enthusiasm to share that knowledge with his peers also makes him a standout Award winner," Ben said.

Brad shares his knowledge and experiences with other young farmers in the region and has spoken at various field days, farm visits and industry events and he is the Vice Chair of South East Premium Wheat Growers Association's (SEPWA) Youth in Ag.

Brad and his family have also taken steps to support local businesses in the area and are currently supplying raw grain to the local brewery, Lucky Bay Brewing.

David Howse, SVP, Chief Support Officer at McDonald's Australia, said: "We've worked with Australian farmers and producers for more than 50 years, sourcing ingredients such as beef, chicken, milk, wheat, eggs, crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and apples from more than 15,000 Aussie farmers.

"Where our food comes from, and how it is produced matters to our customers, communities, and the environment. We're proud to support the next generation of young farmers like Brad, who bring creativity and passion to advancing the quality of produce and the sustainability of farming practices."

Dr Ben Gursansky, Head of Rural and Regional Affairs at Telstra, said Brad's approach to farming was inspiring.

"Brad is forging a path for himself which takes advantage of the innovations and technology available, while working in synergy with the knowledge and hands-on practices passed down to him from his family. His willingness to get involved, support other growers and share what he has learnt, and adopt new development in data-driven farming is admirable," Ben said.