Loretta Serafin

Loretta Serafin is the Research Agronomist, Summer Grains with NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) based at Tamworth in Northern NSW.

Loretta studied at the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury from 1996-1998 to gain a degree in Applied Science in Systems Agriculture.

Upon graduation Loretta joined NSW DPI in 1999 as a trainee district agronomist and then worked as a district agronomist at Moree, Gunnedah and Tamworth until 2013. In these roles she worked with farmers and agronomists to achieve productivity and sustainability outcomes across a range of winter and summer crops and pastures.

In 2006 she was fortunate to receive the Swire Group fellowship to study Alternative summer oilseeds for profitable, sustainable crop rotations in North Eastern Australia. This included investigation of factors affecting yield, oil content & quality to allow greater economic returns and alternative end uses to enable value adding for farmers.

Specifically:

1. Sunflowers- A small industry in the midst of a significant resurgence requiring greater agronomic and value adding support.

2. Sesame- A potential new industry, suited to the drier areas of northwest New South Wales and southern Queensland, requiring further adaptation and agronomic information.

As part of this fellowship she travelled to Italy, France and the United States.

In 2013, Loretta moved into a research role with NSW DPI, providing leadership to their team of agronomy, pathology and entomology professionals across Northern NSW.

In 2018 Loretta gained the role of Research Agronomist, Summer Grains, leading a small team which conducts experiments on grain sorghum, maize and sunflower across northern NSW. In this position she works with farmers and agronomists from the Liverpool Plains, to the Queensland border trialling new practices to improve crop production.

Loretta served as a GRDC northern panel member for many years, is a current member of the Australian Sunflower Association and has been on numerous conference organising committees.

Loretta and her husband run their own small farm on the outskirts of Tamworth whilst raising their two children. She is also currently studying for a Phd.