The 2012 Young Farming Champions spent last weekend at Clover Hill Dairies  in Jamberoo undergoing rigorous training to ensure that their school partnerships achieve the best outcomes for the student and farmer participants. They received coaching on how to craft a message so that it is remembered, how to connect with the audience, how to cope with nerves, to making a multimedia presentation, and how to prepare for and answer difficult questions.

This year the Art4agriculture Young Farming Champions will represent the Cattle and Sheep, Cotton, Wool and Dairy industries courtesy of Target 100, Cotton Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Pauls Milk 

The workshop was conducted by the delightful genius that is Ann Burbrook

The YFC’s enjoyed hearing anecdotes from both previous YFCs, last year’s school students and their teachers showing what an impact this program can have. From raising awareness of food and fibre production and consumption, to increasing the number of students studying agriculture, as well as challenging stereotypes and setting students on a new career path into the agrifood sector.

Table of champions

Stephanie Tarlinton YFC alumni and dairy ambassador was on hand to share her 2011 YFC journey with the inductees.  Stephanie’s  “Farm Girls Wear Shoes too” video was quite a hit with the students and the new YFC’s

Stephanie Tarlinton presents to 2012 YFC’s

There were food for thought moments for Wool YFC Sammi Townsend

Pensive moments for Dairy YFC Jess Monteith

“ Wow what a wonderful weekend it was. I was able to learn about other key rural industries to broaden my knowledge and in a sense make me even more passionate about Australian Agriculture and the YFC cause!” said Jess

Plenty of light moments for Beef YFC Madie Hamilton

Beef Young Farming Champion, Madie Hamilton from Mudgee in NSW was exhausted, but excited at the end of the workshop. “The YFC program is a way for me to give back to an industry that has given me so much. I hope I can entice more people to work in any part of the agricultural industry”

Beef YFC and Ask an Aussie Farmer creator Kylie Stretton enjoyed her first trip to Sydney.

Cotton YFC Katie Broughton is doing a PhD researching the potential effects of climate change on the Australian cotton industry. Katie is proud her jeans come from the highest quality cotton in the world and is keen to make it is as easy as possible for our Aussie farmers to keep producing it sustainably    

“It is incredible to work with such a diverse group of young Australians promoting agriculture. The enthusiasm within the group is infectious, and I am excited to be part of a program that is linking people in rural and urban communities.” said Katie

 

Our young male dairy YFC Tom Pearce handled the all female company extremely well. He tells me growing up with 3 sisters has given him plenty of insights into the female psyche.But he admits he is looking forward to Sam Adams and Billy Browning joining him next time.

“I’m looking forward to presenting my story to a classroom full of interested young adults and hope to inspire a few to seek opportunities outside of the city.” said Tom

The launch of this fantastic new resource from Cotton Australia

“How to grow a pair of jeans”

Katie Broughton and Tamsin Quirk Cotton YFC’s with Sophie Davidson from Cotton Australia

“The weekend confirmed for all participants, that they do have a unique story, that they do have something important to say and that they are in a unique position to say it! These young people already have a flame, they already have a voice and they already have a purpose. This weekend gave them the tools they need to realise that purpose”. said Sophie Davidson from Cotton Australia who joined the YFC’s this weekend

Beef YFC’s Madie Hamilton, Hayley Piggott and Kylie Stretton (front)

Dairy YFC’s Jess Monteith and Tom Pearce

Wool YFC’s Lauren Crothers, Sammi Townsend and Wool YFC Ambassador Kathleen Allan

Wool Young Farming Champion, Lauren Crothers from Dirranbandi in Queensland said the weekend was one of the most enjoyable she has had this year. “It provided the opportunity to meet with like minded individuals who share a common interest, inspiring the people of Australia and encouraging them to be part of the amazing Agricultural Industry.”

The Young Farming Champions are now working on their videos and industry presentations prior to meeting again in August to review their progress. They will visit their allocated schools in metropolitan Sydney and Brisbane in September this year.

The 2012 Young Farming Champions are:

• Kylie Stretton, Charters Towers, QLD – Beef Industry
• Hayley Piggott, Rolleston, QLD – Beef Industry
• Madeleine Hamilton, Sydney, NSW – Beef & Sheep Industry
• Billy Browning, Narromine, NSW – Cotton Industry
• Katie Broughton, Narrabri, NSW – Cotton Industry
• Tamsin Quirk, Moree, NSW – Cotton Industry
• Jessica Monteith, Berry, NSW – Dairy Industry
• Tom Pearce, Bega, NSW – Dairy Industry
• Lauren Crothers, Dirranbandi, QLD – Wool Industry
• Kathleen Allan, Yass, NSW – Wool Industry
• Sammi Townsend, Lyndhurst, NSW – Wool Industry
• Samuel Adams, Armidale, NSW – Wool Industry
• Bronwyn Roberts, Emerald QLD – Natural Resource Management /Beef
• Stephanie Fowler, Richmond NSW – Beef

Our 2012 Art4agriculture Ambassadors are

• Catherine Marriott, Perth, WA – Beef Industry
• Melissa Henry, Boorowa, NSW – Wool Industry
• Kathleen Allan, Yass, NSW – Wool Industry

We have had lots of superb YFC applicants this year and hope to invite some of them to join the program next year. If your industry would like to invest in its young people and sponsor a Young Farming Champion send me an email I would love to talk to you lynnestrong@art4agriculture.com.au 

NSW – the faces of the future