Learning the Landscape of Agronomy with Young Professional Olivia Veronese

Based in Naracoorte in South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Olivia Versonese works as an agronomist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, spending her days moving between paddocks, crops and planning work that supports local growers. IMAGE: Supplied

For young agronomist Olivia Veronese, the path into her field wasn’t a straight line - but it’s one she quickly realised was the right fit.

Based in Naracoorte in South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Olivia works as an agronomist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, spending her days moving between paddocks, crops and planning work that supports local growers. But her journey into the industry began far from the farm.

“I was a bit of a city kid growing up in Adelaide obviously,” she said. “I always loved science and plants, but I didn’t really know how to turn that into a career.”

Attending Pultney Grammar School in Adelaide, agriculture wasn't a major thing on Olivia's radar, but she says her grandparents' small hobby farm in Tasmania had inspired a love and interest in farming from an early age.

“My grandparents had a hobby farm in Tasmania, but none of my parents’ generation wanted to take it on,” she said. “By the time I was old enough to remember it, it was just a couple of paddocks around the house with a few cows — but I knew there was more out there.”

It wasn’t until she began studying at university that things started to fall into place. After trying a few different subjects, Olivia found her direction through an agricultural degree.

“That’s when it clicked,” she said. “I realised it’s not just a degree for if you want to be a farmer - it can take you anywhere. You could go into agronomy, farming, ag business, finance, livestock or animal husbandry.”

Olivia on the job with Nutrien Ag during her time with the Strathalbyn branch. IMAGE: Supplied.

Since graduating, Olivia has built her experience working with Nutrien Ag, starting her career in Murray Bridge and Strathalbyn before making the move to the state’s south-east.

In her current role, no two days look the same - something Olivia says is one of the biggest drawcards of the job.

“One day I might be out on potato pivots taking samples for virus testing, and the next I’m soil sampling on a cropping property,” she said. “Then during the growing season, it’s all about getting out into paddocks, checking crops for pests, disease and weeds, and helping keep everything on track.”

She says the mix of office planning and on-farm work keeps things balanced, with quieter periods used to prepare for the demands of the season ahead.

“You do a lot of planning in the off-season so that when things get busy, you’re ready,” she said.

A hard day's work for Liv out in a Naracoorte paddock. IMAGE: Supplied.

Working in the Limestone Coast has also exposed Olivia to a wide range of farming systems - from broadacre cropping through to intensive horticulture - a level of diversity she finds particularly rewarding.

“It definitely keeps you on your toes,” she said. “There’s always something different happening.”

Alongside her agronomy work, Olivia has also spent time creating content for Nutrien's social media pages, drawing on previous experience with an agriculture-focused agency while studying. She says it’s given her another way to share insights into the industry, though she admits she’s more used to being behind the camera.

“It’s been good fun,” she said. “It’s a really great way to show people the places we go and what we do.”

Looking ahead, Olivia says she's keen to continue building her skills in the field she says offers endless opportunities.

“It’s such an interesting career because you can take it in so many directions,” she said.

For those considering a similar path, her advice is simple: get involved early and ask questions.

“Reach out, do some work experience and just give it a go,” she said. “Most people in the industry are more than happy to help.”

Liv say's most agronomists across the industry are always keen to help those who are interested in pursuing a similar career and encourages them to reach out. IMAGE: Supplied.