Western Australian farmer Sue Middleton has won the RIRDC Rural Women’s Award in recognition of her work turning piggery waste into usable energy.

Middleton, who runs a diverse pork, citrus and grain-farming operation at Wongan Hills, north of Perth, has a vision  of creating a more sustainable pork industry by converting the waste produced at piggeries into biogas.

“Sue’s ambition to investigate the enormous potential of piggery waste to be converted into energy epitomises the efforts of a growing number of Australian farmers who are looking at ways to play a more positive environmental role on their farms,” said Chairperson of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Professor Daniela Stehlik.

Middleton was presented with the award at a gala dinner in Canberra yesterday by Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister, Tony Burke. She was also recognised for her key role in promoting and supporting the role of women on the land through her involvement in a number of state and national rural advisory bodies.

Middleton plans to use the award bursary to travel both domestically and overseas to investigate leading biogas production facilities.

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