Having grown up on a mixed farming property south of Wagga Wagga, NSW, Bachelor of Rural Science student Callum Melton lives and breathes agriculture.
“My love of ag stemmed from a young age,” he says. “Growing up marking lambs and sowing paddocks, I knew that this was all I ever wanted to do.”
While at high school, Callum decided to turn his passion into a career and explored the range of degrees on offer at UNE. Now at the end of his four-year study journey, he’s more confident than ever that he made the right decision.
“My goal has always been to get a great understanding of the whole agricultural picture, so I knew that a Bachelor of Rural Science was my best option,” he says. “I’ve loved the broad focus on all aspects of Australian primary production, as well as being able to conduct an Honours project in my final year with some of the foremost minds in Australian agriculture.”
I’ve been able to get out into the industry, see the complete supply chain and actually get some hands-on experience.
While the degree offered Callum valuable insights into the theories and ideas behind Australian primary production, he says it was the extracurricular opportunities that UNE offered that really cemented his knowledge.
“I’ve been able to get out into the industry, see the complete supply chain and actually get some hands-on experience,” he says. “I can pretty confidently say that the exposure to red meat production and processing has really opened my eyes to the entire industry.”
This year, Callum has been actively involved in the Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) Association conferences, where he has put his skills in meat science to the test against other bright minds from universities across Australia.
After competing in the national conference in July, he was one of just 18 students selected to participate in an Industry Development Week last month. This involved a tour around south-east Queensland to see some of the country’s top feedlots, meat processing businesses, and agricultural companies. Students were also given the unique opportunity to network with some of the key players in Australian agriculture.
“One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was our talk with Jason Strong, the Managing Director of Meat and Livestock Australia,” he says. “In a very casual setting, we were allowed to ask any question about his life, career, and success, but most importantly, he gave us insight into the state of the industry, which from all accounts is in great shape. His outlook on life and the industry left us all inspired to follow in his footsteps and change the Australian red meat industry.”
UNE has provided me with the opportunity to study with some very like-minded people from across the country.
With just a short time left at UNE, the St Albert's College alum looks back on his time studying as an experience he’ll never forget.
“UNE has provided me with the opportunity to study with some very like-minded people from across the country,” he says. “I know I have a friend from every state, and even across the world.”
With just a couple of trimesters to go, Callum has recently started working full-time as an Agricultural consultant in the Moree area. His advice to others wanting to get into the industry is to put in the hard yards at the start to reap the benefits later.
“Make sure you put your studies before anything else, but by that I don’t mean spend all of your time studying. Do the work when you have to so you can have fun when you are able to.”
You can find out more about the UNE’s success at the ICMJ conferences this year here.
