Fourth generation Young farmer Rhonda Daly is in the running to receive a state wide honour, selected as a finalist in the 2026 NSW Landcare Awards. Rhonda is the founder and director of YLAD Soils at ‘Milgadara’, east of Young, and has been nominated for the Australian Government Sustainable Agriculture Landcare Award. For the last 25 years Rhonda has been committed to healing soil health and educating others, following a harrowing near-death experience linked to years of chemical exposure. Alongside husband Bill their property has been transformed from a traditional operation into a beacon for biological farming. One of their main focuses is on composting, and on property they have developed it into a commercial enterprise. The nomination notes some of the attributes developed by the Daly’s over the last two decades. “Significant improvements were recorded in soil organic matter, soil carbon, microbial activity, nutrient cycling, soil aggregation and water infiltration,” the nomination reads. “Improved soil structure has increased rainfall infiltration and water-holding capacity, reducing runoff, erosion and nutrient loss while improving resilience during prolonged dry periods. “During the 2017–2019 drought, Milgadara maintained productive crops and livestock with greater groundcover than neighbouring farms, demonstrating the capacity of healthy soils to sustain agricultural production under challenging seasonal conditions.” The nomination also celebrates Rhonda’s willingness to challenge the establishment in a male-dominated, conservative field. The awards will be presented at a gala dinner at the 2026 NSW Landcare and Local Land Services Conference in Corowa from 27 to 29 October.
