David Moody

Background

About David Moody

My interest in agriculture stems from a young age on a family farm and led me down a path of agricultural studies and interest in plant breeding and biotechnology. During my working life, my aim has been to improve agricultural productivity, largely through plant breeding and principally through the improvement of barley, the second most widely grown crop in Australia. Given that I work in one of hotter and drier continents in the world, I have a very keen interest in plant responses to heat and drought. As my career has progressed I have become increasingly involved in understanding the malting and brewing markets, especially in Asia. This has lead me to an increasing interest in understanding the consumers and their interests in sustainability and how these concerns impact on breeding objectives. My successes in plant breeding have arisen by matching the demands of both barley producers and the requirements of endusers. In my current position, I led the advanced stages of the InterGrain barley breeding program with a strong focus on market development and identification of market opportunities.