South Island leaders in for Australasian agri-business award

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MEDIA RELEASE

21st November 2016

South Island leaders in for Australasian agri-business award

• 2017 Zanda McDonald Award shortlist announced

Three young agriculturalists from the South Island have made it through to the next stage of the 2017 Zanda McDonald Award. The three – Morgan Easton, a 33 year old farm owner and sharemilker from Oamaru, Jolene Germann, a 32 year old dairy consultant from Invercargill and Henry Pinckney, a 34 year old farm owner from Waiau were selected for their impressive leadership skills, passion for their work and determination to make improvements to the agricultural industry.

The three will head to Brisbane next month for the interview round for a place in the finals. They will be up against Australia’s Anna Speer, CEO of AuctionsPlus, Will Creek, a Stud Manager at Stanbroke and Airlie Trescowthick, a business analyst and managing director of The Farm Table.

Shane McManaway, award judge and Chairman of the Platinum Primary Producers (PPP) – the trans-Tasman networking group behind the award – says entrants submitted strong applications and selecting six was tough for the judging panel.

“This award is centred around helping agriculture’s future leaders further their career paths for their own personal development as well as for the benefit of the industry,” he says. “The prize package includes two mentoring trips, one in New Zealand and the other in Australia. These mentoring trips effectively unlock the door to all the advice and knowledge that exists within the PPP Group.”

Mr McManaway alongside Julie McDonald, Head of Finance at MDH Pty in Queensland; Charlie de Fegely, well-respected sheep farmer in Victoria; Tom Gubbins, Director and CEO of Te Mania Angus, Victoria; Richard Rains, board member of Paraway Pastoral Co; and Pat Gunston of Allflex is are now looking forward to meeting the shortlisted candidates in person.

Following the interviews, three finalists will be invited to attend the 2017 PPP Conference in Melbourne from 3rd – 5th April next year. The winner will be announced on 5th April 2017.

Note to editors:

Zanda McDonald was a prominent identity in the Australian beef and livestock industry and a foundation member of the PPP Group. He died in April 2013 at the age of 41, following a tragic accident on his Queensland cattle property. Launched in 2014 by the Platinum Primary Producers (PPP) Group, this award was born out of mate-ship and respect for one of agriculture's natural leaders.

The PPP Group is a collective of over 130 of Australasia's most influential rural leaders, representing over 12 million hectares (28%) of farmland across the two countries and over 20 million livestock units

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