GRDC in Conversation: Edward Scott

Ed Scott grew up on a mixed farming property on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, but his path into agriculture wasn’t a straight line. What began with an interest in animal health and pasture production soon led him deeper into the soil beneath it all. Today, Ed works at the intersection of soils, precision agriculture, automation and sustainability, helping growers better understand what’s happening below the surface and how to turn that knowledge into smarter decisions on the farm. In this conversation, Ed shares how the grains industry has evolved from treating soil as something to work around to seeing it as one of the biggest untapped opportunities in modern farming. He unpacks why variable rate adoption is still slower than expected, how harvest yield and protein data can sharpen nitrogen decisions, and why the next big gains may come from making better use of the data growers already collect. This episode explores: - How Ed’s early fascination with soils turned into a career in soil-focused agronomy - Why soils are still one of the biggest untapped opportunities in grain production - What growers can learn from digging soil pits and testing to depth - Why variable rate technology remains underused despite its potential - How spatial grain quality and protein mapping can improve nitrogen management - The link between automation, precision ag and better on-farm decision making -  How sustainability reporting and emissions data are starting to shape farm business conversations  - Why the best-performing businesses will be the ones that manage risk with better information Watch this episode as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e1xdGTy2Xsw More information: https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/innovation/precision-agriculture-and-machinery/expo-steps-growers-nearer-to-tomorrow https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2024/07/leveraging-protein-for-profitability https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2025/02/dry-sowing-in-the-mid-north-lessons-from-the-dry-2024-season   GRDC in Conversation is a limited series GRDC Podcast. It features in-depth interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry who share their expertise, knowledge and experiences by exploring their personal stories, history, influences and motivations. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRDC, the interviewees’ employer, institution or other associated parties. GRDC Project Code: HAG2507-001SAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices