Our speaker will be Dr. Mary Cole from Australia She will show work she has done in weed management with compost tea; our farm and garden that has had only compost and compost tea for 50 years; the important role of fungi as mycorrhizae in plant and soil health; the negative impact of synthetic chemistry on the fungal flora.

Dr Mary Cole is a well-known academic and plant pathologist and soil microbiologist.

In 1980 Mary founded Agpath Pty Ltd, a small soil biology company providing laboratory testing in many fields including expert witness in fields of agriculture; microbiology of the soil biota, fungal and microbial pathology, composting and farming consulting services in agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, environment air and water and food manufacturing.
As an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne supervises PhD students and her lab provides summer vacation experience in soil microbiology and composting for graduates of Victorian and interstate universities.
She teaches Certificates 2,3,4 in composting at TAFE level & teaches into the Diplomas of Viticulture & Oenology at Goulburn ovens Institute of TAFE.
Agpath provides regular workshops for interested individuals and companies around the world in non-chemical farm management including making thermal aerobic compost and compost tea. Composting workshops cover thermal recycling to compost of plant and green waste and, in particular, carcass recycling.

Recent Awards: 2021 Holt Electorate Australia Day Award for community service.
Major Memberships:
Certified Practicing Agriculturist & member Ag Institute Australia.
Member of Australian Soil & Plant Analysis council
Member of the Global Alliance of International Agricultural Consultants.
Member of the Regenerative Agriculture Subcommittee of the Australian Hemp Alliance.
Member & Vice President of the Healesville to Phillip island nature Link.