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The prestigious Farrer Memorial Medal has been awarded to South Australian grain grower and former plant researcher Dr Andrew (Andy) Barr for 2024, recognising his outstanding contributions to plant breeding and agricultural research in not only Australia, but across the globe.
DPIRD Executive Director of Agriculture, Darren Bayley, congratulated Dr Barr on receiving the honour, acknowledging his significant impact on the industry by helping to develop over 25 varieties of oats, barley and wheat , ranging from disease-resistant strains to high-yield cultivars.
"The Farrer Memorial Trust was established to perpetuate the memory of William James Farrer, a pioneering plant breeder, and has upheld a long-standing tradition since 1936 of providing encouragement and inspiration to those engaged in agricultural science, particularly in cropping fields," Dr Bayley said.
"The NSW DPIRD holds the Chair for the Farrer Memorial Trust and is proud to offer the annual Farrer Memorial Medal that recognises individuals who have dedicated their careers to advancing plant breeding and crop science.
"Andy Barr exemplifies this commitment - he has made remarkable contributions in the development of improved oat and barley varieties such as the well known Echidna oats and Commander barley, all which have significantly benefited Australian farmers and agriculture."
Among some of Dr Barr's proudest achievements are:
- Development of 'Echidna' oats—Australia's first semi-dwarf oat variety, offering a 25 percent yield increase, superior lodging, shattering and stem rust disease resistance, which was the dominant variety in eastern Australia for 20 years.
- Release of 'Wallaroo' and 'Marloo' oats in 1988—the first multipurpose varieties with resistance to cereal cyst nematode, which causes heavy yield losses in grain crops up to 50% in wheat and oats. This innovation in Wallaroo and Marloo laid the foundation for South Australia's export hay industry.
- Breeding 'Sloop SA' barley, the first malting variety with cereal cyst nematode resistance for South Australia, and 'Commander' barley, a leading malting variety in eastern Australia during the 2000s.
- Working with the Australian barley research community to apply molecular marker technology across all of the barley breeding programs to accelerate genetic gains
Dr Barr expressed his gratitude for the honour and credited the many scientists, technicians, research funders, and farmers he has worked with throughout his 30 years in breeding and 20 years in farming, consulting and research management.
"It is a tremendous privilege to be recognised by the Farrer Memorial Trust and I hope that all the great colleagues I have worked with—as a practicing plant breeder, a consultant, and a research administrator—share in this recognition," Dr Barr said.
"There are many rewarding things about plant breeding - driving around the country and seeing your varieties being grown in farmers paddocks, talking to farmers who have great feedback about the varieties you have bred and working with brilliant researchers to integrate their science into a practical outcome in a breeding program."
Raised on a mixed farm at Pinery in South Australia, Dr Barr said growing up in a family who valued high quality education prompted his love of plant biology and genetics.
"I attended an Ag careers night with my family when I was in year 10, and that sealed the deal - at uni, I loved plant biology, and genetics in my early years and so it was a natural progression to major in plant breeding later," Dr Barr said.
Beyond his research, Dr Barr has played a critical role in advancing Australian and global crop science through his work on the boards of CIMMYT, GRDC, and SAGIT, reviewing numerous crop breeding programs and hosting research trials on his family farm which support the development of new and existing varieties.
Looking ahead, Dr Barr remains optimistic about the future of Australian grain research.
"Australia has a proud history of world-class innovation in plant breeding, and I believe that will continue. Exciting technologies such as genomic selection, machine learning, AI, and gene editing are still in their early stages and will mature to deliver even greater benefits to Australian farmers," Dr Barr said said.
The 2024 Farrer Memorial Medal will be officially presented to Andy Barr at the Australian Crop Breeders Week Event Dinner on Tuesday, 4 March 2025 in Melbourne.
Tickets for the event are available on their website.
