Best boots on the ground in Tassie

Josh has been working with Nutrien Ag Solutions and its legacy businesses for the past 25 years in a variety of roles across Tasmania.

“I grew up in the south of the state on a wool property before moving north to a beef and cropping operation which Dad still runs today. I’ve always had a passion for the agriculture industry which was instilled from a young age. During my time at Nutrien I’ve worked in branches, in key account manager roles, branch management, state roles and most recently I was the state manager for fertiliser and merchandise,” said Josh.

“Nutrien has 15 branch locations across the state with more than 200 advisors and specialists working across wool, livestock, transport, logistics, merchandise, real estate, water, finance, insurance, and everything in between.

“Despite a very challenging season here in Tasmania, we remain optimistic for next year and our team is focused on mitigating risks and ensuring our farmers have access to the right products, advice and tools they need to make the most of seasonal and market conditions.

“Nutrien Ag Solutions is committed to supporting the livestock and wool industries here in Tasmania. Next year we are excited to launch our investment in the digital transformation of our business in order to meet and exceed our customer’s expectations of convenience. We will also continue to invest in the agriculture industry and our local communities with the return of the Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants Program, the launch of a new program with CareFlight that will offer trauma skills training, as well as other local partnerships to be announced next year.

“Agriculture is a global industry, but farming is local. So, although Nutrien is a global business our priority will always be on how we can support our farmers here locally to be more profitable, sustainable and productive every year,” said Josh.

Nutrien Ag Solutions’ Bridgewater Livestock Manager George Nichols was also recently appointed Division Wool Lead for Tasmania after Stewart Raine relocated to Victoria for another opportunity within Nutrien’s wool business.

George joined Nutrien Ag Solutions in 2021, after spending almost 20 years managing family and corporate farms across Victoria and Tasmania.

“My career experience in on farm production and business management means I am able to understand all aspects of the day-to-day running of a farm and the commodities that they are trading in,” said George.

Pictured: Josh Sattler, General Manager Tasmania and George Nichlos Division Wool Lead Tasmania

Originally from a fine wool growing property at Hollow Tree in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, George says Tassie will always be home.

“My wife, children and I live in Lachlan and love being part of the community here. I’ve worked in the livestock and wool industry my whole life and firmly believe that we are in a unique position here in Tassie to do it in a way that presents more opportunities by marketing our clean, green and sustainable reputation to get the best results for our superior product,” said George.

“Nutrien has a broad network across the state, country and into international markets which means there is a wider variety of options for our producers. Stewart Raine is now representing Tassie wool producers at the coalface for buyers and exporters so we’ll be liaising closely to make sure our producers can take full advantage of those opportunities at that level.

“We have a lot of younger people that have joined our wool and livestock business here in Tassie over the past few years and they are bringing with them a new enthusiasm for the industry and most importantly industry-leading innovative ideas and solutions that put our producers and growers at the top of the list. This type of thinking is critical to staying competitive in such an unpredictable market.”

George says it’s been a mixed season for farmers across the state.

“The industry has faced plenty of challenges this year particularly the impacts of wet weather, labour shortages and global supply chain disruptions. Continuing to develop and embrace new ways to farm sustainably and profitably is the biggest opportunity our farmers have over the next decade. Our digital transformation at Nutrien will play a big role in this. Both the wool and livestock industries are evolving, and we need to continue to adapt to create opportunities to capture value in these key markets on behalf of our clients. Our digital tools being introduced next year will help modernise the livestock industry through a new solution that supports our clients to continue to grow market share and protect their margin. Watch this space,” said George.

Joining Josh and George on Nutrien Ag Solutions' leadership team in Tasmania is Duncan Bull, Division Merch and Fertiliser Manager, and Stuart Milwood, State Agronomy Manager.