Beef Australia appoints Bethany Rands to chair Next Gen Committee

Bethany Rands

Beef Australia has announced Bethany Rands as the newly appointed Chair of the Next Gen Committee.

Bethany, a Business Analyst (Operations) with the Northern Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCo), recently completed the Marcus Oldham Leadership Program and will now lead the committee’s activities as preparations for Beef 2027.

“My top priority will be to help the team deliver a seamless and impactful Next Gen Program,” Ms Rands said.

“I’ve seen the positive impact this initiative has on young people, myself included, and I’m eager to share that same support. I want to build on the legacy of the program and ensure it remains fresh, valuable, and genuinely exciting for the next wave of talent.”

Beef Australia CEO Simon Irwin said the Next Gen Program plays an essential role in engaging and inspiring young people who see a future in the beef industry.

“At its core, the program aims to help expose future participants in the beef industry to the incredible variety of pathways that exist for young people seeking a future in Ag,” Mr Irwin said.

“In a time where we’re seeing a continuing skills shortage across the industry, it’s more important than ever for our event to focus on supporting and highlighting pathways to employment amongst our next gen audience, and also within our schools’ program,” he said.

The 2027 Beef Australia Next Gen Committee includes:                        

  • Bethany Rands (Chair)
  • Cassandra Bush
  • Lily Cochrane
  • Tessa Conaghan
  • Emily Greer
  • Toby Kellaway
  • Xavier McCluskey
  • Kate McDonald  – please note this committee member is Kate McDonald, orignially spelt Kaye
  • Lucy McGilvray
  • Emily McNair
  • Maddie Morgan
  • Samantha Plath