Howard Yelland Beef Industry Award
2022 Nominations Now Open
Nominations close: 5th August 2022
Download nomination form >>
The Australian Beef Industry Foundation (ABIF) and Marcus Oldham College are pleased to present the Howard Yelland Beef Industry Award. This award is in recognition of Howard W Yelland, a pioneer in the industry through his championing of objective selection and performance recording in the Australian Beef Industry. His championing of objective selection and his contribution to performance recording spans a lifetime. His family commenced objective selection in the early 1900’s, they began weighing cattle in 1910 and recording the results in 1960.
Howard Yelland built his herd selection program around measurement. The Glen Trevor herd was among the first beef herds in Australia to make selection and breeding decisions based on performance – well before the days of on farm electronic weighing scales, computerised ear tags and data terminal uploads. Howard Yelland would truck bulls to the local rail siding to use the railway weigh bridge to measure their growth rates. All records were calculated and recorded manually and decisions for mating groups made on this data, a far cry from the vast data base of information which now underpins the objective selection of beef cattle in this country and around the world.
The Howard Yelland Beef Industry award seeks to recognise individuals who have given service to the Beef Industry “above and beyond” their normal role.
Selection criteria addressed in the nominations include:
- Extent of contribution to the Australian beef industry
- Recognition of this contribution both nationally and internationally
- Leadership role as a change agent
- Contribution above and beyond normal role in the industry
The Howard Yelland Award Honour Roll
2019: James Nason and Jon Condon
This award jointly recognises the insight and innovation in developing an online presence for news and commentary on our industry, and the extensions of it across the supply chain; and promoting open debate on topics of importance to the continued growth of many businesses active in red meat production.
Through their initiative in developing and implementing the online information platform, Beef Central, James Nason and Jon Condon have ensured that access to relevant and timely information that assists in decision-making in both beef herds and red meat markets in Australia is a reality.
The Beef Central online news platform overcomes the tyranny of distance, providing timely and accurate information relating to the meat and livestock industry, to allow all industry stakeholders to make better and more informed business management decisions.
Beef Central is well recognised as a reliable and unbiased source of information, both nationally and internationally, providing the basis for sound decision-making within the beef industry – exactly the same attributes that made Howard Yelland a leader in his field 108 years ago.
James Nason and Jon Condon have demonstrated a significant contribution to the Australian beef industry, are leaders in their role as change-agents, and have contributed above and beyond a normal role in this industry.
2018: Dr David McKinna and The Late Graeme Acton
Dr David McKinna
At the NAB Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program dinner in June 2018, Dr David McKinna from Melbourne, Victoria was awarded the prestigious Merial Howard W Yelland Award for 2018 for “Outstanding service to the Australian Beef Industry”.
ABIF Chairman, Mr John Gunthorpe said: “David is an exceptional recipient of this award in recognition of his leadership and initiative in devising and implementing Australia’s first livestock reporting service, developing and implementing domestic and export marketing and research in the red meat sector, and for his international work on driving export strategies for beef including marketing of brand Australia. He was a founding architect of the outstanding Meat Standards Australia (MSA) program.”
“David and his team at McKINNA et al are some of the quiet achievers in our industry. Their diligent and long-term efforts shaped the successful drive by AMLC and then MLA for increased consumer acceptance of beef products here and overseas, and thereby improved economic returns for our producers. All in the beef supply chain benefit from the careful management of perception and understanding of our consumer relationships with our beef products. The most noted example is development of MSA and its placement of power in the hands of consumers to select product for their end use needs” Mr. Gunthorpe said.
In accepting the award David said “The idea for MSA started over lunch with a very decent steak and a good bottle of red. Those few scribbled notes on a table napkin were about trying to solve a marketing problem – marketing was a new concept then. What unfolded was a 20 year supply chain solution which did not all go as planned, but has set the Australian beef industry up to capture the maximum value possible from the current dining boom.”
The Late Graeme Acton
At the Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association 50th Year Dinner in 2018, the Late Graeme Acton was awarded the prestigious Howard W Yelland Beef Industry Award for 2018 for “Outstanding service to the Australian Beef Industry”. The award was accepted by Graeme’s widow Jennie Acton and his son Tom Acton.
ABIF Chairman, Mr John Gunthorpe said: “We posthumously award Graeme Acton in recognition of the contribution he made to the Australian Beef Industry through his vison, passion and innovative leadership. He was also a champion for the cattle community through his support for the development of Beef Australia, the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, the Royal Flying Doctor, Camp Drafting and the Santa Gertrudis Breeders’ Association and he was a major supporter of youth in beef.”
“Being a leader can be a lonely place. The traditional northern beef industry was often sceptical of Graeme’s vision for the future of northern beef production but, as a leader and innovator, he shared his vision and was supported by people who saw value in the opportunities he saw for the northern beef industry. Graeme lived to see the changes he advocated for – improved genetics and improved supply chain management become the new direction for our industry” Mr. Gunthorpe said.
In accepting the award Tom Acton said“Dad loved life. He was passionate about his livestock and committed to the Santa Gertrudis breed. Our thanks go to Don Lawson for nominating Dad for this prestigious award in recognition of his service to the beef industry. As a founding member of the Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association and later their President, he understood the importance of listening to others and then working to achieve common goals. He worked hard for youth in our industry. The Graeme Acton Beef Connections Mentor Programme continues to inspire careers in our industry and supports our future industry leaders.”
2017: Tom Gubbins
In recognition of his contribution as a significant and multifaceted contributor to not only the Angus sector but the Australian beef Industry by being in the fore front of the adoption of “new age technology” to develop and promote objective measurement and genetic selection as the basis for the genetic destiny , market performance , long term viability and security of the beef cattle industry.
His commitment to providing a strong connection between seed stock producers, geneticists, researchers and technologists both in Australia and internationally has ensured that the genetic evaluation systems for livestock production in this country continue to be placed at the forefront of world’s best practice.
2016: The Late Zanda McDonald
This award posthumously recognises his contribution to the Australian beef Industry through his vison, passion and innovative leadership in taking a family cattle company to being a global supplier of quality branded food.
His vision encompassed a beef industry which valued the care and quality of the cattle which produced the product and the care and well-being of the people who looked after them from paddock to plate.
His passionate advocacy for improvement in the welfare and management of cattle in the northern production systems was in response to a wider view that consumers wanted to see changes in the way that beef food product was produced. He wanted consumers to understand the story from paddock to plate.
As a leader and innovator he was often on his own in championing change in a traditional industry, but in his lifetime he saw the benefits now being provided from his advocacy for improved genetics and improved supply chain management in the northern herds.
In his short lifetime Alexander McDonald:
- Demonstrated a significant contribution to the Australian beef industry
- Was recognised for this contribution both nationally and internationally
- Was a leader in his role as a change agent
- Made a contribution above and beyond normal role in the industry
Vale “Zanda” McDonald
2015: Lynne Strong
In recognition of her contribution to the Australian beef Industry through her passionate advocacy of the role which agriculture and agricultural communities have in the Australian economy . Her role as a pioneer in the development and promotion of the Art4 Agriculture initiative and the Young Farming Champions program has seen young students in urban schools being provided with a “link to the land” and a focussed image of the role of Australian agriculture in sustainable food production.
Her commitment to providing a strong connection between the agricultural industries and food supply chains through both the Art4 Agriculture and the Young Farming Champions programs has ensured that Australian livestock producers are promoted as committed and responsible users of natural resources at the forefront of world’s best livestock practice and that young people can have the opportunity for a thriving career working in the agricultural sphere.
2014: Dr. Hans-Ulrich Graser and Christian Duff
The 2014 Award was jointly presented to:-
Dr Hans-Ulrich Graser in recognition of his contribution to the Australian beef Industry as a pioneer in the development, implementation and adoption of the national genetic evaluation scheme known as Breed Plan. His commitment to providing a strong connection between the animal breeders and geneticists both in Australia and internationally has ensured that the genetic evaluation systems for livestock production in this country have been at the forefront of world’s best practice.
and
Christian Duff in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Australian beef industry through the introduction of new genetic improvement technologies and his contribution to the continuing development and understanding of Breedplan in his role as leader of two Divisions of the Agricultural Business Research Institute; and the development of a quality assurance certificate for live cattle exported for breeding thus enhancing Australia’s reputation as an exporter of quality breeders.
2013: David Blackmore
The 2013 award was presented to David Blackmore, Blackmore Wagyu Beef, Alexandra Victoria in recognition of his contribution to the Australian beef Industry as a pioneer of the Wagyu breed in Australia and his promotion of Australian Wagyu branded product in both domestic and export markets . His commitment to sustainable farming involving financial viability, respect for the environment, strong ethical standards in animal welfare and a passion for creating the best in the world emphasises his role as an industry leader prepared to share his knowledge and experience for the benefit of the industry
2012: James Gough and Michael Pointer
The 2012 Award was jointly presented to:-
James Gough in recognition of his support for the development and promotion of Breedplan as a tool for genetic evaluation in the Global and Australian Beef Industry. His commitment to herd improvement was demonstrated during his association with the Australian Hereford Council where he widely supported genetic evaluation and research.
and
Michael Pointer in recognition of his leadership and initiative in development and promotion of Australian branded beef products to a domestic and global food market through the establishment of the Certified Australian Angus Beef brand.
The Howard Yelland Award was previously presented to:
2008 Andrew & Mary Gubbins
2007 Dr John Thompson
2006 David Crombie
2005 David Pethick
2004 Greg Chappell
2003 Ian Watson
2002 Robin Hart
2001 John Webster
2000 Dr Bernie Bindon
1999 Rod Polkinghorne
1998 Alf Collins
1997 Bob Freer
1996 John Yelland
1995 Richard Makim
1994 David Wright
1993 Dick Whale
1992 Don Lawson
1991 Don Story
1990 Dr Keith Hammond
1989 Dr Mike Blockey
1988 Joe Horcicka and Ron McNeill
1987 Arthur Rickards, Jim Litchfield and Dr Michael Jones
