Young beef leaders want to see cattle producers involved in more long term strategic extension projects, doing more to tell and sell their real life stories, and championing the thriving industry's career opportunities.
More should also be done to find pathways for new entrants to own farms or be part of the red meat supply chain.
Addressing this year's NAB Agribusiness Cattle Council of Australia Rising Champions dinner in Canberra last week, this year's emerging leadership stars voiced some similar visions and concerns to their industry peers.
"We're proud of what we do. This industry's achievements are bloody amazing, so go out there and share them," said Queenslander Sam Fryer.
"Everybody has a mobile phone. Use it to share the story and tell people what we really do."
"We can all work towards breaking down those barriers our industry encounters, showcasing the diversity of people involved and its career pathways."
Career to learn about
He believed the red meat sector, and agriculture in general, must connect more proactively with the next generation of high school students and university undergraduates, even challenging our education curriculums to reflect the industry's global reputation, economic value and its diverse and inclusive career options.
In a similar message, South Australia's Tom Cosentino, urged producers and cattle leaders not to simply find friendly "back slapping supporters", but to make an effort to seek out and engage urban politicians, consumers, "and even people who don't eat meat".
"When I get home I'll be looking at how I can invite them onto my farm,'' he said.
"My mission for the Australian beef industry is to be unburdened from carrying a target on our backs."
"We have to show ourselves as real people - not robots - we're hockey players, local councillors, great aunties, land managers and football coaches."
Beef producers were not just motivated by their livestock roles or even the challenge of feeding the planet, but also, he said, the environment, their communities, family legacies and opportunities for their farms to be key players in "sucking carbon out of the atmosphere" to be stored in their soils, pastures and trees.
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This year's Rising Champions initiative culminated in seven state winners spending almost a week in Canberra at training and industry briefing sessions with farm sector and government organisations.
Other state winners were Annie Pumpa from southern NSW; Kari-Melise Moffat from Darwin; Stafford Ives-Heres from Tasmania's west coast, and Tamara Pfitzner, Western Australia and Jen Smith, Victoria.
Farm networks work
Ms Smith - whose family's cow and calf enterprise was twice hit by bushfires in the past decade and a four-year drought - is a champion of grass roots farm network learning and support, and the need for long term industry agendas.
Her own producer-led Gippsland Agricultural Group started with six farmers during the drought and now has more than 300 members involved in peer support, benchmarking and future productivity strategies backed by bodies such as Meat and Livestock Australia.
"We all know surviving in farming is a long term business of seasonal and production cycles, yet there's a mismatch of (short term) regional, state and national funded initiatives with local programs," she said.
Canberra's future drought preparation funding agenda was typical of the relatively short term "fits and spurts" programs.
"You need to actively consider and discuss long term local extension programs and what your role can be in their future," she urged policy makers and cattle industry leaders.
Support crew
However, there was also applause for the policy makers and those in peak cattle sector roles who represented the scaffolding which supported and guided the industry's market ambitions, quality standards, technology initiatives and more.
Young Live Exporters Network co-founder, Kari-Melise Moffat, conceded she had little idea of how much hard work and volunteer time were committed to supporting the beef industry until she became so active in it.
She said thousands of hours of volunteer effort and tens of thousands of hours of dedication by staff and others associated the industry were dedicated to ensuring the sector had a strong, safe and sustainable future and retained its valued credibility overseas.
"We want to contribute and we should," she said
"We're looking down the barrel at so many new challenges to address.
"For young people coming into the industry, these supporting roles will be more important than ever."
Live export was also a theme addressed by WA winner and livestock services contractor, Tamara Pfitzner, who highlighted the need to be proactive and truthful in the industry's approach to animal welfare.
She believed live cattle exports would continue as a valuable component of the whole beef industry supply chain.
However, those involved would need to pay close attention to back the right transparency goals and technology, including education and data-driven resources to bridge perception gaps existing between beef producers and consumers.
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Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
