18 September 2015
Target 100 producers were in the spotlight at the recent Farmer of the Year 2015 awards, taking out three of the 10 awards – including the Farmer of the Year.
Farmer of the Year was awarded to Tasmania’s Matt Dunbabin. Matt also received the diversification award. Matt and his wife Vanessa run a livestock enterprise at Dunalley in south-east Tasmania, where they also produce wine, crops and wool while operating tourism enterprises. Matt was one of the producer faces in the Target 100 Bettertarian campaign . Read their Target 100 story here , where they talk about improving environmental outcomes while lifting productivity.
Livestock Farmer of the Year went to Queensland cattle producers David and Prue Bondfield, who operate their genetics business, Palgrove Charolais, across a string of properties which are managed according to the different environments in which they are located. Read their Target 100 story here.
Young Farmer of the Year was Anika Molesworth from Broken Hill, NSW. Anika grew up in Melbourne and moved to the family sheep and cattle enterprise in 2000. Recently Anika participated in the Target 100 BeefJam - a ‘both sides of the fence’ initiative to bring together young urban foodies and young beef and lamb producers. Learn about Anika and her enterprise here.
MLA’s Community Engagement Manager Jacqueline Baptista said that it was great to see these producers being acknowledged in the wider industry.
“It’s exciting to see that producers who support the values of Target 100 are being recognised through a program like Farmer of the Year," she said.
Target 100 is an advocacy platform that showcases the red meat industry's environmental and animal welfare credentials. The program serves a very important purpose of transparently communicating with consumers about what happens on Australian farms – from environmental practices through to animal welfare and food sustainability concerns. Showcasing real producer stories, such as Anika, the Dunbabins and Bondfields, is one part of the program’s strategy to alleviate community concerns around beef and lamb production.
“MLA research shows that there is a high level of trust in Australian producers, which is why they are at the heart of the program. Target 100 showcases over 230 producer stories online which play an integral role in all Target 100 events and communications," Jacqueline said.
“We are proud of our local producers and the advancements they have made on their properties. We would really encourage more producers to get involved in the program and share their story with the community."
