ANZ today announced a new partnership with the Australian Beef Industry Foundation (ABIF) to deliver a scholarship program aimed at developing future generations of Australian rural agribusiness leaders.

The ‘ANZ and ABIF Rural Leadership Scholarship Program’ will offer successful participants a paid place to attend the renowned Kellogg Rural Leaders Program at Lincoln University in New Zealand.

ANZ’s Head of Regional Commercial Banking, Tania Motton said: “ANZ is pleased to be partnering with the ABIF in what we hope will become a leading scholarship program for delivering young talent back into the Australian agricultural sector, and in particular the beef industry.

“We’re committed to supporting regional Australia and what better way than to invest in a program which ensures a pipeline of skilled young leaders is being delivered into the Australian beef industry for generations to come,” Ms Motton said.

Frank Archer, Chairman of the ABIF, said the partnership with ANZ was based on a meeting of minds between the two organisations and a shared understanding of the importance this scholarship program will be to the Australian beef industry.

“There is a definite skills shortage within rural and regional areas across Australia, but particularly so in the beef industry. ANZ has recognised this as an important issue for the industry and is working hand-in-hand with us to provide the much needed support this issue needs.”

“We have a proud partner in ANZ and we look forward to working with them to deliver this scholarship program so that young rural Australians are provided with the opportunity to expand their horizons and deepen their knowledge and commitment to participating in the beef industry,” Mr Archer said.

Applications for the scholarship program are open from 16 July 2012 until 31 August 2012 and can be made through www.abif.com.au.

Pictured (L-R): Announcing the ANZ and ABIF Rural Leadership Scholarship Program Alison McIntosh, Board Member, ABIF; Mark Bennett, Head of Agribusiness, Regional Commercial Banking, ANZ; Frank Archer, Chairman, ABIF; Tania Motton, Head of Regional Commercial Banking, ANZ.

ABIF is pleased to announce that it has awarded the two Fairfax Agricultural Media Scholarships to the 2012 Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Course to Bernie Shakeshaft the founder and manager of the BackTrack program and Trevor Fenn who is also involved with the program.

“The BackTrack program approach to training for employment opportunities and careers in agriculture is entirely consistent with the philosophy and mission of ABIF” Chairman Frank Archer said when announcing the awards.

“The very effective BackTrack program operates with the mission to offer young people who have lost their way the opportunity to re-connect with their education and training, to become work ready, find jobs, lead happy and productive lives and participate fully in the community.” Mr Archer said.

The program incorporates a set of philosophies that seek to improve the wellbeing of young people, especially young people who are having a hard time. The program works extensively with indigenous youth.

In rural communities there are always young people who have greater disadvantage than the mainstream. This may be due to drug and alcohol issues, race, homelessness or socioeconomic circumstance.  The BackTrack philosophy is that through alternative engagement and education techniques, many of these young people can achieve full employment, training or education outcomes and thus improve the overall quality of community life.

BackTrack utilise a number of programs to achieve its objectives including a very innovative program called Paws Up that engages young people, the majority of whom are Aboriginal, in working dog training on the principal that the boys learn self discipline while disciplining the dogs. This program leads to AgLads  that was developed when a saleyards agent asked some of the Paws Up boys to help out with their dogs on a sale day and their performance impressed the other local agents present who also asked for help on the day. This built on the interest of farmers at local shows looking for contract labour for intensive jobs such as fencing, harvesting, haymaking, mustering, drenching etc. The boys have already begun work experience and on the job training on local farms as well as undertaking a Rural Skills certificate course at Armidale TAFE.  The intention, once they have completed their training, is for the graduates to form teams with a supervisor to undertake this work on farms in the area.

In addition ABIF was very pleased to be able to facilitate a substantial grant to BackTrack from the Thyne Reid Foundation to be used to further the programs mission.

Pictured: Bernie Shakeshaft (far right) and a group of BackTrack participants.

ABIF today announced the awarding of several more scholarships to nominees from the beef industry to attend the 2012 Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Course at the Geelong campus of the College.

The Centralian Beef Breeders Association ABIF Scholarship, jointly sponsored by Territory Rural McPherson and Fairfax Agricultural Media has been awarded to Peter Raleigh who works with S.Kidman &Co at the 10,200 Sq. Km Brunchilly/ Helen Springs Station on the Barkly Tablelands in the Northern Territory.

The Yarram Park ABIF scholarship sponsored by Yarram Park Herefords has been awarded to Marc Greening of Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book NSW.  Marc was the NSW Farmers “Young Farmer of the Year” competition in 2011, and is a Director of Herefords Australia Limited.

“We are particularly pleased to be able to announce these two scholarships today” ABIF Chairman Frank Archer said. “The Centralian Beef Breeders Association has embraced the concept of this scholarship with great enthusiasm and commitment and we are very pleased that Peter Raleigh is able to take up the opportunity. The awarding of the scholarship to Marc Greening reengages ABIF with Herefords Australia and we look forward to renewing our relationship with this important component of the beef industry.”

Mr Archer acknowledged the importance of the relationship that ABIF enjoys with its sponsors in establishing these scholarships. “The partnerships with Fairfax Agricultural Media, Yarram Park Herefords, the Centralian Beef Breeders Association and Territory Rural McPherson are instrumental in our ability to ‘Inspire Beef Industry Careers’ by providing opportunities for young people to be able to attend such outstanding programs” he said.

Pictured below are:-

left: Marc Greening Yarram Park & ABIF Scholar

right: Peter Raleigh CBBA & ABIF Scholar

THE world is in a tough spot.

Food and water supplies are running out, population is growing and the climate is getting warmer.

Respected science journalist and author of The Coming Famine, Julian Cribb, believes all these issues will lead to the world becoming virtually unsustainable.

Mr Cribb was in WA last week addressing the “Where is Apiculture Heading in the next 20 years?” conference held in Manjimup.

He said estimates at the moment see the world population climbing as high as 10 or 11 billion people by the mid-2060s while current estimates show the world will not have enough water in 25 years.

Read full article >>

Member for Rodney Paul Weller has been elected Chair of the Rural and Regional Parliamentary Committee of Victoria.

The election took place in Melbourne yesterday afternoon at the committee’s first meeting.

The Rural and Regional Committee is a joint investigatory committee and its members have been drawn from both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.

Mr Weller said the committee’s first task was to conduct an Inquiry into the Capacity of the Farming Sector to Attract and Retain Young Farmers and Respond to an Ageing Workforce.

He said he was passionate about supporting young people in agriculture and looked forward to leading the investigation.

“The future of rural communities and the agriculture sector as a whole depends on more young people viewing farming and related industries as an attractive career path,” Mr Weller said.

“We need to remove the barriers many young people face in trying to break into the industry and we also need to ensure that young people are not forced to leave their traditional farming backgrounds because of a lack of opportunity and support.”

Under the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, the Rural and Regional Committee is required to conduct the inquiry and report back to Parliament on the findings by February 8, 2012.

The terms of reference for the inquiry are as follows:

•    examine the benefits to the agriculture sector of attracting more young farmers (including youth and early career workers)

•    examine the factors that affect the ability of the agriculture sector to attract and retain young farmers including; the profitability and business competitiveness of agricultural and other industries; farming business acumen and recruitment strategies, remuneration packages and opportunities; career pathways for youth and early career workers; existing models of farm business; and the factors that influence rural quality of life

•    Provide strategies and recommendations that will promote the realisation of the benefits identified above.

Mr Weller said he considered his position as chair of the committee a great honour and was looking forward to the challenges ahead.

He said the committee system provided an effective avenue to achieve great public input into issues being considered by Parliament.

Tuesday May 24^th, 2011