Karin Stark lived in Perth and England before her heart brought her to a cotton and wheat farm in Narromine where she now lives with her partner, John Elder.

Interested in the environment from a young age, Ms Stark said she quickly learned about the resilience and innovation of the farming community.

"I know that without a healthy planet, there is no healthy humanity and as farmers are natural resources managers, they are at the front line of environmental challenge," she said.

In 2019 she founded the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference which is held in Dubbo. It is now in its fourth year.

Last week for International Women's Day, Ms Stark was named as one of 20 women influencing Australian agriculture in an article by Australian Community Media. Among others included on the list were Gina Rinehart, Penny Wong and Fiona Simson.

"Living on a farm, I've come to understand all sides of the debate around environmental issues in agriculture," Ms Stark said. "This interest and the work I was undertaking for the then Office of Environment and Heritage, culminated in our farm installing the country's biggest solar diesel irrigation pump in 2018.

"It was an exciting step change for irrigated agriculture and promised to save 500 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere a year and 40 to 50 per cent off our diesel bill."

Unfortunately the system hasn't performed as was hoped with difficulties blending solar and diesel at the scale required.

These learnings as well as wanting other farmers to share their success stories, drove Ms Stark to establish the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference as part of the Agrifutures Rural Women's Award process.

"The Conference is designed to overcome the barriers to the adoption of on farm renewables. The event brings together farmers, agriculture and energy consultants, peak bodies, research institutes and Government representatives to share stories of on-farm renewables, their business case and what’s driving the transformation of energy use in agriculture. "

The long-term objective of the Conference is to increase investment in on-farm renewables and contribute significantly to agriculture’s path to sustainability.

"Through the last three Conferences, I have built a movement focusing on renewables in agriculture encompassing Government, advocacy groups, peak bodies and farmers that previously did not exist," Ms Stark said.

"I have brought together groups whose interactions are sometimes characterised by conflict, such as environmentalists, farmers and Governments, to find common ground and seek steps forward together."

The next Conference is planned for 21 June in Dubbo with economist, Ross Garnaut as the keynote speaker. The topics that will be covered include future fuels and vehicles, bioenergy, energy storage and case studies from a piggery and an off grid winery. 

There will be a tour to a solar grazing operation the following day so people can learn how sheep can successfully live and thrive under rows of solar panels.