- Sixth-generation NSW farmer Edwina Gadsby and Victorian agronomist Lok Chow open their farm gates in a new video series, Follow a Farmer from BASF Agricultural Solutions Australia.
- From sowing wheat in dry conditions to using lasers for weed control, the series explores the challenges, technology and business decisions shaping Australian agriculture.
- Videos build on last year’s Ask a Farmer campaign with Jane Bunn, continuing BASF’s efforts to connect Australians with the people behind their food.
Melbourne, Australia – 30 October 2026 – When Edwina Gadsby sowed wheat this season near Orange in NSW, there was no moisture in the ground and no fertiliser to put down. She halved her seeding rate and planted anyway.
“When you’re working with nature, it’s extremely volatile,” said Edwina. “It’s not the ideal conditions to be planting a crop, but this is what we live and breathe every single day.”
It’s one of the real moments captured in Follow a Farmer, a new social media video series launched today by BASF Agricultural Solutions Australia. The series invites Australians to spend a day on farm with two people working in very different corners of agriculture.
Six generations, and almost a city career
Edwina’s family has farmed at Euchareena, near Orange, since the 1830s. Today, Gadsby Agriculture runs sheep and broadacre crops across several properties in NSW. But her mum tried to steer Edwina and her brother away from the farm.
“Mum wanted us to experience different industries and go and explore the world, which we did,” she said. “I wanted to give everything a go before coming home.”
After seven years in a corporate agriculture role in Melbourne, she came back to the family business. She says people still underestimate what farmers do.
“People think it’s a lifestyle, and we do love what we wake up to, but it’s a livelihood. Farmers are highly motivated business people. We have to be across accounting and finance, and then animal health, soil and crops once we’re in the paddock. If an animal gets sick or a crop needs harvesting, you can’t just leave. There is literally always something to do.”
Edwina says it’s an exciting time for women in agriculture, with more returning to the farm or choosing the industry for the first time. Her story comes at a time when women's contributions to agriculture are being celebrated, with 2026 marking the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
The plant doctor who wanted to be a vet
Lok Chow didn’t get the marks to study veterinary science, so he enrolled in a Bachelor of Agriculture instead. Today he’s the senior agronomist at Coolibah Herbs in Pearcedale, a family-owned business founded on the Mornington Peninsula in the early 1980s. It now farms more than 2,000 acres of salad greens, herbs and vegetables.
“People assume you’re just digging around in the dirt all day,” said Lok. “To put it simply, an agronomist is like a plant doctor. I manage everything from pests and disease to soil nutrition and irrigation, basically anything that needs to happen, so we have good crops for people to eat.”
He says a bit of understanding goes a long way at the supermarket. “A lot of crops are grown outside, so they’re open to weather, insects and animals. Having an appreciation for that can change your mindset on what’s acceptable in a bag of spinach.”
Lasers, drones and going off grid
Both farmers say technology is changing how they work. “Agriculture tends to be a little bit behind sometimes, but there’s a lot of adoption of cool tech now,” said Lok, pointing to laser weeders, spray drones and autonomous tractors that help with weed control and labour shortages.
With power prices rising, the Gadsbys have taken their farm completely off grid with solar, batteries and a backup generator. “Like any business, we’ve got to be able to do more with less,” said Edwina.
Parvana Wali, Head of Agricultural Solutions at BASF Australia and New Zealand, said the series was about letting farmers speak for themselves. “We often talk about farming as the biggest job on earth, but many Australians don't get the chance to see what that really involves. Through Edwina and Lok's stories, we're giving people a behind-the-scenes look at modern farming, helping them connect with the people behind their food, understand the challenges they face, and appreciate the care they take for the land every day.
Follow a Farmer episodes will be released over the coming weeks across BASF Agricultural Solutions Australia’s LinkedIn and Facebook channels. To watch, visit https://crop-solutions.basf.com.au/follow_a_farmer.
Media images:
Edwina Gadsby_Motorbike
Edwina Gadsby_Mustering sheep
Edwina Gadsby - Shearing shed
Edwina Gadsby - Family
Low Chow - Collaboration with Hannah Thomas
Low Chow - Lettuce field with Hannah Thomas
Media Contact
Madi Huysing
FleishmanHillard
0413 089 612
mhuysing@omc.com
About BASF Agricultural Solutions
Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide sufficient and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €990 million in 2025, we invest in a strong R&D pipeline, and our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and stakeholders along the value chain. In 2025, our business generated sales of €9.6 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.
About BASF in Australia and New Zealand
BASF serves key industries in the agriculture, coatings, manufacturing and mining sectors, and posted sales of about €318 million in Australia and New Zealand in 2025. As of the end of 2025, the company had 319 employees and operated 6 production sites across Agricultural Solutions, performance products and functional materials and solutions. BASF has been active in Australia for over 100 years, and over 60 years in New Zealand. Further information is available on www.basf.com/au.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 95,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.