Adam Coffey accepts the the Red Meat Achiever Award on stage last night, flanked by Queensland Country Life editor Lucy Kinbacher and Rabobank’s Angus Gidley-Baird.

Queensland beef producer and Cattle Australia vice-president, Adam Coffey from Miriam Vale was announced as the Queensland Country Life Red Meat Achiever of the Year Award last night in front of a crowd of industry stakeholders who gathered to celebrate the achievements of their peers at the end of a big first day of Beef 2024.

The Rabobank Beef Industry Awards celebrate the efforts and achievements of innovators and leaders in the beef industry, and sinve 1994 have been a fixture on the Beef Australia calendar.

Nominees for the Achiever of the Year Award had to have a minimum of three years of on-farm experience in either leadership or decision-making capacity, and currently be working in a successful and progressive farming business.

Attracting a wide cross sector of the beef industry, including production, procession, retailing, transport, marketing and research and development, and a virtual who’s who of senior politicians, the audience was warmed up by keynote speaker, current chair of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility Board, ex NTCA CEO and 2021 Red Meat Achiever of the Year Award winner Tracey Hayes, before the winners of the three awards were announced.

Tracey delivered a strong message about the need for governments and politicians to deal with the beef industry fairly and treat our biggest agricultural commodity with due respect when it comes to making decisions that impact the lives and livelihoods of producers, a topic she has lived personal experience with from her role in the 2011 live export shutdown.

The Rabobank Young Beef Ambassador Award went to Dr Charles Vaughan from Charles Vaughan Veterinary Services in the NT and the Australian Registered Breeders Association RW Vincent Award went to Steve Skinner from the Agricultural Business Research Institute in Armidale, both strong advocates for and innovators in the beef industry.