This week I was honoured by the Australian Beef Industry via the Merial Howard Yelland Award . I must admit I was a little bit surprised to receive an award from the beef industry and pretty damned chuffed at the same time.

As I said in my acceptance speech

This award is a momentous acknowledgement by industry that what we – as farmers – do beyond the farmgate in 21st century is just as important as what we do behind it

This award is the Australian beef industry saying we are proud of what we do and we want to share our stories with the world

Most importantly this award is a salute to all the brave young people – the Young Farming Champions – I so admire and work with every day

Young people who broke new ground and started a movement to help agriculture have the courageous conversations we all need to have

Conversations that will ensure we build lifelong and powerful partnerships of trust between farmers and the community

Conversations that will cement agriculture as the strong, prosperous and vibrant building block underpinning the health and happiness of Australia’s landscape and its communities.

The press around my award has given the impression I am the first woman to win this award. Standalone yes but today’s post is a tribute to the woman who paved the way – Mary Gubbins who in partnership with her husband Andrew won the Howard W Yelland Award in 2008

You can read all about Mary and Andrew in this wonderful story Stud Science by Genevieve Barlow –

The Australian Beef Industry has some wonderful stories to tell – lets ensure those opportunities are found and taken up far and wide

Stories like this one. Treating the stud as a business has resulted in Paringa Livestock’s success, about the family of  previous winner Don Lawson who I met on the night

I also had the pleasure of meeting another former winner CAAB trailblazer Michael Pointer

Guest speaker on the night was the big personality John Hughes. There would be many people in Australia who would say we just don’t have enough people like John with sheer guts and determination any more.

It was a great night and  special thanks to 1995 winner Richard Makim for putting my name forward

Author: Lynne Strong

I am a 6th generation farmer who loves surrounding myself with optimistic, courageous people who believe in inclusion, diversity and equality and embrace the power of collaboration. I am the founder of Picture You in Agriculture. Our team design and deliver programs that inspire pride in Australian agriculture and support young people to thrive in business and life View all posts by Lynne Strong