In the lead up to Hort Connections, we spoke to Michelle Towers to learn about her path into agronomy and her role now as Elders’ Technical Services Manager, covering southern Australia.
Growing up without a farming background, early exposure to the industry in high school led Michelle to study rural science. She then began her career in agriculture research. It was not long, however, before she realised she wanted to work more closely with growers.
“I wanted to be closer to the people behind the crops, to work directly with growers and make a real impact,” Michelle said.
Following that instinct, Michelle spent nearly a decade as an agronomist, building strong expertise in pome and stone fruits while developing valuable industry connections. Today, as Elders’ Technical Services Manager for the Southern Region, she uses that experience to support agronomists and drive technical excellence across South Australia, Victoria, the Riverina, and Tasmania.
Despite the scale of her role, Michelle’s focus remains firmly on supporting people.
“I see my role as helping our agronomists find solutions, whether that involves providing technical support, bringing in the right experts, or helping them access the information they need,” she said.
“We have a very high performing team, so it is about making sure we are supporting them at the right level.”
Her day-to-day activities vary widely, from answering technical questions and coordinating training to running field days and exploring new technologies. Recently, this has included everything from demonstrating drones in vegetable crops to supporting agronomists with orchard management decisions.
“You are always learning something new. There are different challenges, but also a lot of similarities, which keeps things interesting.”
Across the region, growers are currently facing a complex mix of challenges, including rising input costs, labour shortages, and market volatility.
“It is always challenging to produce a high-quality product and receive the appropriate reward for it,” Michelle explained. “Labour availability, fertiliser costs, and diesel prices impact every grower.”
However, she believes agronomy plays a critical role in helping growers navigate uncertainty, beyond just technical challenges. “Agronomy is fundamentally consistent across crops, but its value lies in how effectively it is applied,” she said.
“It is about working closely with growers to support decision making, manage risk, and improve system efficiency, whether that means maximising yield with limited labour, optimising water use, or making more strategic input decisions.”
For Michelle, one of Elders’ greatest strengths is its ability to connect people, both internally and across the broader industry.
“The Elders network is incredible,” she said.
“There is always someone who knows someone who can solve a problem or provide expertise. That has been really powerful, especially when working across such a large region.”
This collaborative approach also extends to grower engagement, with field days, tours, and events providing valuable opportunities to share knowledge and learn from others.
Michelle is particularly looking forward to attending Hort Connections, one of the horticulture industry’s key events, proudly supported by Elders. Hort Connections will be held in Adelaide from 1 to 4 June 2026.
“These events are always great for networking. But beyond the interpersonal connections, I’m particularly interested in the industry's future, especially with regard to technology and decision-making tools.
“I am keen to see what is coming next, things like disease and pest modelling, or tools that help agronomists make better decisions.
“If we can provide our agronomists with better technical information and extend that to growers, giving them access to real time insights, that would be a huge win.”