Comments attributable to Fiona Simson, President, National Farmers’ Federation
It is with pleasure that I congratulate Cathy McGowan AO on her appointment as the new AgriFutures Australia Chairperson.
Cathy has extensive understanding of agriculture and rural communities, placing her extremely well to lead the work of AgriFutures to deliver for the sector. The NFF has a strong relationship with Cathy, having worked closely during her time in Parliament on a range of issues impacting Australian farmers.
The NFF has a goal to reach $100 billion in farm gate output by 2030. Integral to achieving this is our ambitious 2030 Roadmap. One of the five pillars of the 2030 Roadmap is Unlocking Innovation, a pillar with direct links to the work of AgriFutures.
We are an industry that never sits still and unlocking emerging industries, new technologies and embracing research and innovation is key to our success and is a shared vision between the NFF and AgriFutures.
The NFF is a declared Representative Organisation for AgriFutures, a role we place significant value on to ensure industry visibility, input and engagement in the important work AgriFutures undertakes. I look forward to working closely with Cathy and the AgriFutures team on important cross-sectoral and emerging rural issues.
I also wish to highlight the outstanding service of retiring Chairperson Kay Hull AO. Kay’s unwavering dedication and ambition for agriculture and regional Australia have been nothing short of exceptional. She leaves an important legacy at AgriFutures and within the sector more broadly.
Stacey Davidson