UQ has farewelled two of the nation’s leading farm technology experts.
UQ Senior Lecturers Dr Jeff Tullberg and Ross Murray brought wide-track harvesters to Australia and improved the productivity and sustainability of farming in China and Australia.
Both men have created new farm machines and cropping systems.
Their sustainable farming projects in northwest China, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, was estimated to have pumped more than $500 million into the Chinese economy with flow-on to Australia.
Dr Tullberg joined UQ Gatton, then the Queensland Agricultural College (QAC), in 1968.
He focused on the hay drying but quickly moved to machinery management and improving the reliability of tractors and their impact on soil and crops.
As the head of UQ’s Farm Mechanisation Centre, he was the driver of controlled traffic farming in Australia which used computers and global positioning technology to guide farm machinery along fixed traffic lanes.
He said controlled traffic farming was more sustainable than normal farming because it reduced water runoff and soil erosion, increased crop yields and needed less than half the fuel.
“Until recently, efficient farming was associated with tractors of increasing power and weight,” Dr Tullberg said.
“But our work has demonstrated that sustainability depends on replacing brute force and power with precision and information.
“Innovative farmers using this technology have shown that it is both profitable and more sustainable.”
Since graduating from the QAC in 1974, Mr Murray has focused on the development and mechanization of dryland cropping systems.
He said he had enjoyed lecturing at UQ and also being closely involved in the two major development in farming during the past three decades — conservation cropping and controlled traffic farming.
As head of his Faculty’s Vocational Teaching unit, he has been coordinating skills training and accreditation for regional producers and certificate students at UQ Gatton.
Mr Murray said he was looking forward to building closer links between the AACC and UQ.
Dr Tullberg is now a Director with CTF Solutions — a consultancy working with farmers to improve profitability, sustainability and lifestyle.
Mr Murray has joined the Australian Agricultural College Corporation (AACC) in Dalby as its Education and Training Director.
Media: Dr Tullberg (0417 134 372), Mr Murray (4672 3000, 0407 166 695) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619)
