Young cattle farmers in the Western Plains are being invited to apply for a new industry leadership program created by Cattle Australia (CA).

The seven-month Australian Beef Leaders (ABL) Program is being offered to 21 to 35-year-olds who want to grow their strengths in leadership and advocacy.

CA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said CA was proud to be leading a program that would reward talent and support the long-term success of the beef industry.

“This program presents an important opportunity to nurture and empower the future leaders of our industry, by equipping them with knowledge and skills to advocate on the cattle industry’s behalf for years to come,” Dr Parker said.

“ABL is about building the community of forward-thinking people who are ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities of modern agriculture.

“We are looking forward to working with our inaugural cohort to provide them with a range of experiences, as well as learning and networking opportunities, including face-to-face sessions with established industry leaders, and personal development training in areas such as public speaking, policy, media and negotiation skills.

“This is a long-term commitment by CA to identify key talent within our industry and support them in becoming strong, effective and resilient leaders for tomorrow.”

The program will be run from November 2024 to June 2025 and will seek to unlock the potential of a cohort of seven successful applicants from diverse geographic beef producing regions.

Successful applicants will receive training to develop skills in advocacy, policy, and media engagement, while also promoting personal development through self-awareness and confidence-building activities.

The program will enhance participants’ understanding of the beef industry, including its representative bodies, governance structures and regional challenges, and prepare them to be influential in driving meaningful change for the cattle industry’s future.

“We strongly encourage anyone who wants to learn, grow, make new connections and, importantly, be at the forefront of a strong, innovative and profitable beef sector to put their name forward,” Dr Parker said.

Applications close 30 September.