Maddison Fryer, Rangers Valley – Rangers Valley NSW
The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) has named three talented young professionals as Grand Finalists in its prestigious Young Lot Feeder of the Year award, proudly sponsored by Performance Feeds.
This accolade recognises and rewards those who exemplify passion, leadership, and a visionary outlook towards the future of lot feeding.
From a talented pool of entrants, six progressed to the second judging round where they undertook a formal interview with the independent judging panel followed by a presentation and meet & greet with the ALFA Council on August 23 in Sydney, NSW.
ALFA President, Barb Madden, said that the Award holds great value within the industry, representing the remarkable emerging talent within the grain fed beef sector.
“ALFA Council is consistently amazed by the quality of young individuals in our sector showcased by this Award. The joint efforts of Australian lot feeding businesses to attract and retain motivated young minds who are eager to contribute to the sector’s bright future are paying off,” Mrs Madden said.
“We look forward to watching the career trajectories of those involved in this Award, as like those who have gone before them, they will no doubt flourish into inspiring industry leaders.”
To apply for the ALFA Young Lot Feeder of the Year Award, all entrants were required to submit an essay outlining a perceived or real industry problem, discussing its implications to the feedlot industry, and exploring a proposed solution.
The Grand Finalists and their essay topics in the ALFA Young Lot Feeder Award 2023 (in alphabetical order) are:
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Jacob Leak, Teys Australia – Jindalee NSW
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Feeding for the Future
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Maddison Fryer, Rangers Valley – Rangers Valley NSW
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The Importance of Shade Structures During Winter for Animal Welfare and Overall Feedlot Production – Trial at Rangers Valley Cattle Station
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Timothy Brennan, NH Foods – Whyalla Beef NSW
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Improving industry retention through ground level Leadership Development
The Grand Finalists will now partake in professional development training offered by ALFA to build upon their industry leadership skills and assist in their overall growth and development.
“Creating strong advocates for our sector and the agricultural community as whole is important to ALFA, and we are proud to support our emerging talent through this initiative,” Mrs Madden said.
The overall winner of the ALFA Young Lot Feeder of the Year Award will receive a $5,000 study bursary, which can be used towards undertaking a professional development course or an overseas study trip, and a prestigious grain fed beef industry scholarship to partake in the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation’s renowned TRAIL: for emerging leadersprogram, valued at $11,550.
The winner will be announced at the ALFA SmartBeef23 Industry Dinner, to be held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre (TRECC) on 11 October 2023. Early bird tickets to SmartBeef23 are available until August 30.
-ALFA