Institute for Future Farming Systems

Our agricultural research program is a world leader in delivering practical solutions which are bolstering the productivity, profitability and sustainability of the livestock and horticulture sectors.

In particular, it is internationally recognised for its specialist skills in the development of non-invasive, precision management tools, with its research in this area independently assessed as above world class (ERA ratings of 4 and 5 in the last two assessments).

Northern Australia’s Agricultural Innovator

Our flagship Institute for Future Farming Systems (IFFS) is delivering new agricultural innovations and providing an environment for practical, skills-based training and research-led teaching.

Delivering research which is grounded in industry needs – the Institute’s researchers live and work in the communities they serve, with staff working closely with industry partners and primary producers in Bundaberg (Australia’s largest vegetable producing region), Emerald (a major broadacre farming area), and Rockhampton (Australia’s beef capital).

Agriculture science research at the Institute for Future Farming Systems

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The Institute for Future Farming Systems specialises in six targeted fields of research where we have world-class capabilities that can deliver maximum benefit for rural industries. They are:

  • Precision Horticulture
  • Precision Livestock Management
  • Non Invasive Sensor Technologies
  • High-value Tropical Cropping
  • Poultry Microbiome
  • Agri-tech Education and Extension

The Institute for Future Farming Systems aspires to use its Central Queensland base and the collective skills of its staff to become the major contributor to successful agricultural industry development in northern Australia.

The Institute’s team is made up of researchers, higher degree students and professional staff, all with expertise in the major agricultural science discipline fields and a commitment to delivering impact for industry.

Professor Amy Cosby

IFFS Interim Director and Agri-tech Education and Extension Cluster Leader

Associate Professor Amy Cosby brings a broad range of knowledge and real-world skills to her leadership of the Agri-tech Education and Extension, with a Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Laws (Hons 1) and a PhD in Precision Agriculture to go with her family life on a Gippsland dairy. Amy is a leading practitioner and researcher in the field of student and teacher engagement within the agricultural industry and has extensive experience in leading large-scale projects. Amy works with educators, researchers and industry professionals to develop innovative programs to increase the skills and knowledge of teachers and students in agricultural concepts, tools and systems. Amy has conducted numerous surveys with both educators and students to evaluate their current level of agricultural knowledge and perception of the industry from a range of rural and urban locations. Her objective is to use the knowledge derived from this research to design programs which showcase and attract the next-generation agricultural workforce to the industry from diverse backgrounds. She has developed and implemented a range of curriculum-aligned agri-tech learning modules for university, VET and high school students. These modules aim to showcase the scientific and digital skills required in the agricultural industry to attract and build the capacity of the next-generation workforce. This research aims to demonstrate that by exposing young people to agri-tech from an early age this will increase the adoption on technology across the agricultural supply chain as when these young people enter the workforce as they will be confident and skilled in the use of agri-tech.

Professor Philip Brown

Precision Horticulture Cluster Leader

Professor Philip Brown is an agricultural scientist with a passion for working with agricultural industries to improve their productivity, profitability and sustainability. Phil arrived in Bundaberg in 2010 to take up the position of Professor of Horticultural Science. The position is jointly funded by CQU and the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Prior to this appointment, Phil was the Head of the School of Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania and had worked for 15 years in research and teaching roles at the university. Phil's research expertise is in horticultural science, with a focus on plant physiology and agronomy. He works closely with industry partners to deliver practical outcomes based on an understanding of the physiological and anatomical basis of crop development. Bundaberg is the perfect location for horticultural research, with a greater concentration of horticultural industries in the region than anywhere else in Australia.

Professor Mark Trotter

Precision Livestock Management Cluster Leader

Professor Mark Trotter is a leading researcher in the field of precision livestock management. With hands-on experience in the dairy and beef industries, and a background in agribusiness he brings a practical business emphasis to livestock research. His focus is on developing sensors and management systems that improve the production, efficiency, and sustainability of grazing livestock systems. Mark leads the Precision Livestock Management research cluster at CQUniversity. He is a Fulbright Scholarship recipient and holds adjunct appointments at The Ohio State University and Oklahoma State University.

Professor Kerry Walsh

Non-Invasive Sensor Technology Cluster Leader

The theme of Professor Kerry Walsh's career has been the application of non-invasive instrumentation to issues related to plant performance, and in particular, in photosynthate transport - assimilate partitioning. He has led multidisciplinary work resulting in the association of a phytoplasma with the papaya dieback disorder, and the use of near infra-spectroscopy (NIRS) for fruit quality assessment. Kerry has a practical, hands-on, capability, yet an academic perspective on life. He strongly believes that his R&D effort should result in a gain to society and that he should provide practically relevant training to undergraduates and postgraduates.

Professor Dana Stanley

Poultry Microbiome

Professor Dana Stanley is one of Australia’s highest contributors to the field of poultry intestinal microbiota. Using sequencing technology and 16S rRNA gene to study microbial diversity is a relatively new approach that requires substantial knowledge of microbiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics. Professor Stanley’s research on intestinal microbiota in health and disease focuses on the role of microbiota in poultry and other agricultural animals, as well as rodent models of human disease Additionally, Professor Stanley is a dedicated researcher is the area of poultry gut health and is one of the most published researchers at an international level, in the area of poultry gut health and the role of optimal intestinal bacterial community in bird performance. Dana Stanley’s intestinal microbiota agricultural and veterinary research is complemented with human health studies. She established a reputation as a researcher in intestinal microbiota through long-term investigations in human health that resulted in high-impact publications.

Being based in Australia’s richest and most diverse agricultural region, our greatest research facility is the access to the industries on our doorstep. No-where else in Australia do researchers have such ready access to the range and size of industry partners as CQU has in its footprint region. The Institute for Future Farming Systems is also well-equipped with equipment and facilities to support its agricultural researchers. The state-of-the-art Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP) houses dedicated laboratory spaces, animal handling facilities, glasshouse facilities, dedicated crop research areas and analytical equipment to support our staff. Partnerships with AgForce and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries also give our researchers access to research farms in Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

Contact Details

Institute for Future Farming Systems

Central Queensland Innovation Research Precinct (CQIRP)
Building 361, CQUniversity, 630 Ibis Avenue, North Rockhampton QLD 4701

Professor Amy Cosby, Interim Director
Phone: 0405 824 112
Email: a.cosby@cqu.edu.au

Centre and Institute Research Administration (CIRA) Team
Email: research-cira@cqu.edu.au