Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Enhanced Extension Coordination: Advancing Beef Leaders

The Advancing Beef Leaders program, launched in August 2020, is a pilot leadership and professional development program. This program saw emerging producer and community leaders in North Queensland come together to build their skills for leadership roles in the community and industry.

Advancing Beef Leaders pilot group visiting Dingo Park Feedlot in November 2020

The pilot program included six core modules, industry mentoring and group projects. The group took part in a two-day producer tour in the Charters Towers, Ayr and Townsville districts as well as online workshops with industry leaders.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Senior Beef Extension Officer Alison Larard said feedback from the group was positive. Participants said the program module content was well-presented and filled their knowledge gaps,

Most participants have since taken on industry or community committee positions or won awards including:

• two securing positions on State AgForce committees
• one awarded a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship
• one awarded the NAB Agribusiness Cattle Council Rising Champion Queensland.

This project was funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and jointly delivered by Animal Science’s Reef Water Quality Grazing Extension Support project and the Enhanced Extension Coordination in the Great Barrier Reef project.