Cannon Vizl is gunning for a career in the organics industry.
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And the Albury father is well on his way to reaching his dream to one day grow organic hops and barley for his own boutique beer after studying locally.
Mr Vizl hopes to contribute to to the "booming" organic farming industry when he graduates with a Diploma of Organic Farming in the next few weeks from TAFE NSW National Environment Centre in Thurgoona.
He has been working at an olive and lamb producer in Wymah and said organic farming only occurred to him while living in the city, despite Australia having more than half of the world's certified organic land.
The Australian industry has grown 46 per cent in the past two years and contributes over $2.6 billion annually.
"I had an awakening to the importance of organics in my early 20s while working in Melbourne," Mr Vizl said.
"I was working in landscaping in upmarket places like Toorak and was shocked at how much water and chemicals they would use on their lawn just to make it look pretty.
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"I started to look into food production in Australia and the crazy amount of chemicals they pour into crops just to get the biggest bang for their buck.
"I feel very strongly that people should know more about where their food comes from and be more in touch with the land."
He said he was confident there was an emerging market for organic hops and barley in the rapidly growing micro-brewery sector.
"A lot of the big brewers buy their hops from overseas and they're not as fresh," Mr Vizl said.
"I'd like to start growing organic hops in Tasmania and then introduce organic barley and ultimately, own a microbrewery down there."
Mr Vizl said TAFE NSW National Environment Centre head teacher of agroecology Rob Fenton, a nationally recognised figure in the organics industry, helped ignite his passion for organics.
"Rob is one of the smartest blokes I've ever met and everything I've learned, I've learned from him," Mr Vizl said.
"The most important thing he has taught me is that if you get the soil right, you can grow anything."
Wymah Organic Olives and Lamb owner Mary Done, who employs Mr Vizl, said she had great success employing TAFE NSW organics students.
"I enjoy having TAFE NSW students work with me because they have the right knowledge and right prerequisites for the job," she said.
"It's such a pleasure to work with someone committed to the farming side of organics, rather than just the eating side."
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