Philip Schofield

Abron Soil Nutrician Consultant

BAgSc (hons.), Ph.D,

Certified Nutrient Management Advisor.

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Phillip is a third generation Kiwi and grew up in Napier, he studied agriculture at Massey University and had a career in Agriculture initially advising farmers before taking over management of a food growing and processing business in Hawkes Bay.

Phillips farming and production experience and knowledge is broad. Philips career has meant he has been involved in all areas from plant and animal breeding and selection of commercially desirable traits through to on farm production and value adding using comprehensive processing systems aimed at producing highly valued products that attract premiums at retail level.

 

Phillip has experience at all levels of scientific research. As a practicing research scientist, as a partner and director in a private research company, and as a member of the NZ Asparagus Research Council making submissions to the Ministry of Research Science and Technology and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology on research funding criteria and Industry research objectives.

 

Phillips doctoral research work at Massey allowed him to understand how little is known about the microbiological relationships that exist between plants and soils and how plant performance and plant health depends on a thriving microbial community in the rhizosphere. Modern farming practices have not considered the need for healthy soils and we are now becoming increasingly aware of the issues this causes and the major impact our farming systems can have on our water and soil resources.

 

Phillips is a part of My Farmer World because it leads the way in teaching farmers how to manage their soils well and reduce the environmental impact of farming operations.