Rising Champion Of The Beef Industry

AUSTRALIA - Alison McIntosh from Crookwell, New South Wales (representing NSW Farmers’ Association) has been named the 2011 NAB Agribusiness Beef Industry Rising Champion and will go on to represent Australian beef producers at the young Five Nation’s Beef Alliance forum held in Denver, Colorado, between 8-15 January 2011.

23 November 2010

3 minute read

Oceania

Ms McIntosh was one of seven outstanding State and Territory finalists who presented to Cattle Council their Australian beef industry solution at the Council’s Annual General Meeting held in Launceston, Tasmania on 16 November 2010.

Ms McIntosh’s presentation outlined the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) as the foundations of an electronic on-farm data capture tool. Cattle Council was impressed by the options put forward in the project to deliver benefits back to the producer through more effective use of NLIS as a management tool.

Mark Hodge, a beef producer from Moyhu, Victoria, representing Victorian Farmers’ Federation, was presented with the NAB Agribusiness Rising Champion Acknowledgement Award of $750.00 for his innovative presentation on marketing beef using interactive phone applications.

Neil Findlay, NAB Agribusiness Head of Southern Australia said that NAB Agribusiness is proud to support the inaugural Rising Champions Initiative and congratulates Alison and Mark along with the other finalists for putting their hand up to learn more about their industry and help address industry challenges.

"The achievements and passion that Alison and Mark have shown for the beef industry make them worthy winners," Mr Findlay said.

Finalists each received a plaque at the ‘Beef Industry Rising Champions’ Gala Dinner’, an evening that provided opportunities for finalists to expand their networks and learn from those people operating at the ‘big-picture’ end of the industry.

The inaugural Rising Champions Initiative was launched by Cattle Council to inspire, empower and support young people to have an influential say on the big issues facing their future in the beef industry.

State farming organisation members of Cattle Council were partners in the initiative: AgForce Queensland, NSW Farmers’ Association, Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, WA Farmers, Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA, Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, Victorian Farmers’ Federation and South Australian Farmers Federation. Rural Press Limited was the Council’s proud media partner.

Alison McIntosh said that as an observer at the Cattle Council meeting she saw a broad range of national beef issues being debated and believed that all beef producers should be aware of how to have input into the national debating forum.

“Producers need to know how the industry works and how they can get their opinion heard; Cattle Council is the conduit between beef producers on the ground, represented by the State Farming Organisations, and the Federal Government – I recommend all beef producers to have their say on important issues and become involved in their state farming organisations,” Ms McIntosh said.

“Young people are the future leaders; we need to be engaged, mentored and included in our industry now. This is a great initiative which I think will help in very effective succession planning for the beef industry,” said Ms McIntosh.