GRDC in Conversation: Jessica Zieltjes
Show notes
For Jessica Zieltjes, agriculture was always part of life. Growing up in a farming family that moved from New Zealand to the New South Wales grain belt, she developed an early interest in crops, farming systems and the people behind them. But finding the right career path wasn't straightforward.
After exploring roles in cotton, rice, seed production and research agronomy, Jess eventually found her place with Grassroots Agronomy, where she works directly with growers across the Riverina.
In this conversation, she shares the experiences that shaped her career, the importance of following your instincts, and why being farmer-facing was the key to finding work she genuinely loves.
Jess also discusses the value of mentorship, learning through experience, and building confidence as a young agronomist. The conversation explores farming systems research, the role of pulses in crop rotations, emerging technologies such as optical spot spraying, and the power of strong communication across the grains industry.
At the heart of it all is a passion for continuous learning, meaningful relationships, and helping growers turn small improvements into long-term success.
This episode explores:
- Jess' journey from a farming family to a career in agronomy
- How moving from New Zealand to Australia shaped her connection to agriculture
- Why exploring different agronomy pathways helped her find the right fit
- The importance of mentorship, curiosity and continuous learning
- What independent agronomy looks like and the value of working closely with growers
- How farming systems research and pulse crops are driving on-farm change
- The technologies and innovations Jess is most excited about for the future of grain growing
Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
https://youtu.be/Y1TuSR9w4bU
More information
Grassroots Agronomy https://www.grassrootsag.com.au/
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.
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