$20,000 Prize Available for Australian Soil Health Experts

Thursday 5 December 2024: On World Soil Health Day: Landcare Australia has opened nominations for the 2025 General Jeffery Soil Health Award. Back for the 3rd successive round, the prestigious General Jeffery Soil Health Award recognises the work of people who care for soil health and who are educating or inspiring others. The $20,000 award will provide invaluable support to the winner to help extend their work in soil health.

Previous award winners and notable figures in the world of soil health and science, Dr Oliver Knox and Emerita Professor Dr Lynnette Abbot have confirmed they will be part of the specialist

advisory panel to select the winner of the 2025 General Jeffery Soil Health Award.

The 2022 winner, leading soil health champion, educator and researcher, of ‘Soil your Undies’ fame, Dr Oliver Knox said “We all have a responsibility to our soils and our soil health and the more we all do, the more likely we are to see a fantastic future for Australia’s soils.”

The two previous award winners have teamed up to encourage nominations for the influential General Jeffrey Soil Health Award.

When asked what he was hoping to see from the next round of nominations, Dr Knox said “Passion, drive and impact. Soil is full of surprises, so I’m hoping to learn from all of the nominations and expect to feel disappointed there can be only one winner. It’s exciting and all that is needed now is for some nominations, so that are you waiting for? Nominate your soil’s guru.”

Leading soil scientist Emerita Professor Lynette Abbott and winner of the inaugural prize in 2020, is encouraging soil science experts across Australia to nominate colleagues for the prestigious national award.

“It is a very valuable process for highlighting the contributions that others are making to soil health in their various ways. There are many approaches.”

“I think it is a good award – it is different to many other awards, unique in its focus on soil health of course.”

As Australia’s first National Soils Advocate, General Jeffery passionately advocated for improvements in the health of our agricultural landscape. By championing soil health from Parliament House to the paddock, he successfully changed attitudes towards soil sustainability and energised change on farms right across Australia. He relentlessly pursued his focus on the importance of integrated management of soil, water, animals and plants to the benefit of all Australians and our environment.

Emerita Professor Dr Lynnette Abbot said “I was fortunate to meet Major General Michael Jeffery on some of his visits to Perth. He was inspirational and passionate about the importance of focusing on landscape issues related to soil, in addition to soil itself, including how vegetation, grazing and water cycles are integral to overall management of agricultural lands to ensure soils are healthy and protected.”

Managing and preserving soil health is critical and although Australia is internationally renowned for our high-quality agricultural industry, the health of our soil continues to decline due to erosion, acidification and salinisation which is why the General Jeffery award has taken on more significance in the world of Australian Soil Health.

Dr Shane Norrish, CEO of Landcare Australia explains “Healthy, well managed soil is a vital part of the sustainability and productivity of our agricultural sector and the natural environment. Soils are the basis of food production, food security and human health, and this award acknowledges people who are working to protect, conserve and build the health of our soils.”

In effort to bring soil health to the forefront of critical biodiversity and environmental conversations, Landcare Australia has for the first time opened the eligibility criteria to include voluntary environmental groups and organisations who are actively involved in activities to protect and improve soil health.

“It is vital we give Australian soil health experts the recognition and national platform they deserve. That’s why we believe it is the right time to widen the prize to included landcare groups, farmers, farming groups, land managers and educators.”

 Nominations for the 2025 General Jeffery Soil Health Award close on Monday 31 March 2025.

• The winner will receive a trophy and a $20,000 (ex GST) for an agreed soil

• The winner will be announced at the 2025 National Landcare Awards gala dinner hosted as part of the 2025 National Landcare Conference on the Gold Coast.
• The General Jeffery Soil Health Award honours and perpetuates the memory of Australia’s first National Soils Advocate, the late Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffery AC, AO (Mil), CVO, MC (Retd).
• The award is funded by the Australian Government through the Natural Heritage Trust. Landcare Australia administers the award on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
• The General Jeffery Soil Health Award was established in 2020 by Office of the National Soils Advocate

Background Information About Previous Award Winners 2022 Award winner Dr Oliver Knox

Dr Knox was an Associate Professor in Soil Systems Biology in the School of Rural and Environmental Sciences at the University of New England (UNE), where he reintroduced soil biology into the undergraduate syllabus in 2014.

As the CottonInfo technical lead in soil health since 2016, he has developed and delivered field workshops to land managers in the cotton production areas of Australia. He has also written numerous industry articles on soil health and land management, which have included how to access soil resources in NSW and Queensland.

Dr Knox has been instrumental in driving the Soil Your Undies soil health program in Australia. Adapting the idea from an educational campaign for farmers in Canada, Dr Knox brought the program to Australia and modified it to a postal and online citizen science challenge.

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