Answers lie in the soil

AN old saying goes that Tasmanian soils are so rich in nutrients you could eat them and forget about growing anything.

University of Tasmania agricultural science students recently studied soils so carefully they almost did put them on a plate.

The students took part in a soil judging competition that pitted their analytical skills against a panel of judges.

Participants dug into pits and analysed the soil’s chemical and physical structure.

Adjunct senior researcher at TIA and a member of the Soil Science Australia Tasmanian branch, Richard Doyle, has been helping students prepare for the national titles.

But he said the benefits of soil judging extend well beyond the competition.

“They learn about problem-solving skills as they are trying to understand a whole lot of complex variables in the environment, get data on them, try to understand them and then put them to practical use,” he said.

“A lot of the people who have represented Tasmania have gotten jobs where soil analysis has been one of their primary tasks.”

Bachelor of Agricultural Science student Zoe Brown won the 2026 Tasmanian Soil Judging Competition.

Along with Finlay Walton, Ava Christie, Stella Foster, and Haochen Zhao, Zoe will be part of the Tasmanian team at the National Championships in Western Australia between October 28 and 31.

This will be Mr Walton’s second year  in the national titles.

“We all enjoy doing the soil judging together,” Mr Walton said. “There’s a camaraderie to it, as well as the hands-on approach and how it helps with careers.

“With the competitions, you get to go somewhere you haven’t been before, meet all these professionals from around Australia, and get a wealth of knowledge.”

Mr Walton plans to be an agronomist after he finishes his Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours.

“More and more these days, soil knowledge and landscape knowledge are very important for being able to make the right recommendations for farmers,” he said.

“The competitions give you another level of knowledge, but also confidence to go out there and know what you’re talking about.”

Ava Christie has been picked for the Tasmanian team after taking part in her first state titles.

“I took a couple of soil science subjects this year and found that it was a new world that I didn’t realise existed,” Ms Christie said.

“We learn a lot in plant science about water relations, but getting into the pits and being able to learn all the practical skills about how to describe it hooked me immediately.

“To take part in a competition and use those skills in a new context is an opportunity I am very keen for.”