Beef 2021 Preview

Beef Australia 2021: Graeme Acton Beef Connections Program underway

Beef Central, 04/12/2020

Mentors and Mentor Partners were joined by the late Graeme Acton’s wife, Jenny (second from left).

PARTICIPANTS in the 2021 Graeme Acton Beef Connections Program came together in Brisbane last week, coinciding with the announcement from Beef Australia that the event will take place next May.

Mentors and Mentor Partners travelled from all over Queensland, the Northern Territory and regional New South Wales to gather in person for the first time, after COVID-19 restrictions resulted in all prior meetings taking place digitally.

The four-day workshop marked the beginning of a 12-month program for ten young beef industry stakeholders taking part, which will include personal and professional development opportunities, networking,  leadership and communication training, as well as participation in Beef 2021.

AuctionsPlus’s Hugh Courts and his mentor, live exporter Greg Pankhurst, during one-on-one sessions at last week’s Graeme Acton Connections program gathering

Each Mentor Partner is provided invaluable networking opportunities throughout the program and is paired with an industry-renowned Mentor.

Mentor Partners of the 2021 Program are Caitlyn Barton (Mort & Co), Rebecca Clapperton (Qld Dept of Ag), Hugh Courts (AuctionsPlus), Georgia Glasson (NT Dept of Ag), Chloe Gould (Teys Aust), Kari Moffat (Austrex), Caitlin Obst (Mort & Co), Ryan Olive (CQ Livestock Depot), Kate Power (Kilcoy Pastoral Co) and Ellen Simpson (AuctionsPlus), paired with respective Mentors of Melinda King, Liz Allen, Greg Pankhurst, Ben Dwyer, Angus Street, Prue Bondfield, Ashley Kirk, Adam Coffey, Philip Hughes, Julie McDonald and Amanda Moohen.

Each Mentor Partner is required to design, develop and implement a project which will benefit the beef industry and present their project during Beef 2021, which will be the half-way point of the program. Mentors and Mentor Partners will next meet in January, for a media and communications workshop.

Mentor Liz Allen with her pairing, Rebecca Clapperton (Qld Dept of Ag) during last week’s gathering

The Graeme Acton Beef Connections Program named after the respected late Central Queensland cattleman and industry leader, develops the skills of young people across all areas of the beef supply chain by offering training and personal development opportunities.

The program was launched at Beef Australia in 2015 and now in its third generation. Already several of the mentees from the first 2015 cohort have returned to the program – this time as mentor partners.

The Graeme Acton Beef Connections Program is sponsored by Westpac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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