Research interests

• Profitability of cropping and pasture systems
• Strategies for adaptation of farming systems to climate variability and change
• Research evaluation
• Risk analysis

Background

Fiona Scott joined NSW Agriculture* in 1993 as an economist and has undertaken research in a large number of research projects including on economic instruments to achieve sustainable agricultural systems and economic analysis of sustainable farming systems in northern NSW.

She is currently an economist with the Farming Systems North Unit and conducts research and extension on the farm level financial consequences of alternative farming systems and resource conservation strategies. Examples of this include crop rotations and conservation tillage systems. Her focus is on achieving increased adoption of profitable and sustainable cropping and pasture systems in northern NSW.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.Ag.Ec. (Hons) – University of New England 1993 
• M.Ec. (Agricultural Economics) – University of New England 2007

Current projects

• Profitability of improved pastures in livestock systems in NSW
• Profitability of summer cropping and reduced tillage systems in northern NSW under conditions of climate variability and change
• Assess issues related to the use of water, nitrogen and other inputs in cotton based farming systems in NSW
• Enhance the adoption of improved technologies and practices for production of upland crops in Cambodia by quantifying the profitability of improved technologies and practices

Recent Publications

Scott JF (2009) Farm Enterprise Budgets 2009: Northern NSW Winter Crops. NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Scott JF (2009) Budget Templates (Farm Forms), 3rd Edition. NSW Department of Primary Industries, http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/farm-business/budgets/templates

Scott JF (2008) Farm Enterprise Budgets 2008-09: Northern NSW Summer Crops. NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Hulugalle N and Scott JF (2008) “A review of the changes in soil quality and profitability accomplished by sowing rotation crops after cotton in Australian Vertosols from 1970 to 2006”, Australian Journal of Soil Research 46: 173-190.

Scott JF and Lodge GM (2008) Impact of climate variability on profitability of native pasture improvement in northern NSW, in Boschma, S. and Ayres, J.F. (ed.) Proceedings of the Grasslands Society Conference 21 - 23 July 2008 Tamworth, NSW. The Grasslands Society of NSW Inc.

Serafin LM, Scott JF and Welsh B (2008) Performance of different lucerne dormancy classes under dry-land conditions, in Boschma, S. and Ayres, J.F. (ed.) Proceedings of the Grasslands Society Conference 21 - 23 July 2008 Tamworth, NSW. The Grasslands Society of NSW Inc.

Scott F (2008) Farm Budgets 2008: Northern NSW- Winter Crops, NSW DPI.

Farquharson RJ, Scott JF and Chea S (2008) “Upland crop technologies in Cambodia: Economic evaluations and some adoption issues”, 52nd Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural & Resource Economics Society, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

Scott JF and Hulugalle N (2007) “Rotations and permanent beds to fight the cotton cost-price squeeze”, Australian Cottongrower 28 (2): pp41-45.

Scott F (2007) Simple steps to analyse farm business profitability, Grain & Graze Border Rivers Project Factsheet, QMDC.

Scott F, Serafin L and Belfield S (2007) “Viable alternative summer crops to sorghum” AgToday, November 2007.

Scott F (2007) “Farm Budgets 2007: Northern NSW- Summer Crops”, NSW DPI.

Scott F (2007) “Farm Budgets 2007: Northern NSW- Winter Crops”, NSW DPI.

Scott F (2007) “An Economic Comparison of Sheep Grazing Systems on the Northern Tablelands of NSW” Contributed Paper to the 51st Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 13-16 February 2007, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Professional associations and activities

Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society: Member since 1992, President-New England Branch 2007 

Fields of Research

• 140201 Agricultural Economics
• 140205 Environment and Resource Economics

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Farming system economics 
• Pasture profitability
• Adaptation to climate change

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Contacts