CO-FOUNDER of the Ask an Aussie Farmer Facebook community, Queensland beef producer and livestock agency owner Kylie Stretton is the 2017 NAB Agribusiness Rising Champion.
An initiative of Cattle Council of Australia, the prestigious event targets the next generation of advocates for the cattle industry whose talent and vision can be harnessed to enable the sector to respond to future market and consumers trends.
At a gala dinner in Alice Springs tonight attended by the who’s who of the Australian beef industry, the young Charters Towers producer picked up the title ahead of an extremely high-calibre field of state finalists.
Her interests within the beef industry revolve around public relations, consumer understanding and collaboration but above all “representing the rural families who make up the grassfed beef industry in Australia.”
CCA president Howard Smith said the initiative, now in its eighth year, attracts some of the best leaders from across the country and was designed to inspire, empower and support young people.
Both Mr Smith, and Meat and Livestock Australia chair Dr Michelle Allan who delivered the key address at the dinner, said the finalists in the 2017 event were the future of the beef industry.
“They are committed to putting beef on dinner tables both here and overseas and that’s exactly what we need in our sector – young people with a vision who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to take this already-great industry from strength to strength,” Dr Allan said.
“The finalists here tonight come from a wide variety of backgrounds and each offer different types of expertise to our industry. But there’s one thing they all have in common – their ability to take their passion for Australian beef and turn it into a successful profession.
“These young leaders love what they do and it all centres around progressing our industry.”