Australian Rural Leadership Foundation sponsors Farmer of the Year

 The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation has a twenty year-long commitment to developing and supporting rural Australia and its primary industries and sees the Australian Farmer of the Year Award as an important way of saluting excellence among primary producers in Australia. 

The Foundation will join with ABC Rural and the Kondinin Group as co-sponsors of this prestigious award that celebrates Australia’s most professional, innovative and sustainable farmers.

 As part of the prize, the overall winner will be granted an interview for a scholarship in its prestigious flagship program, the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP).

 Dr Lesley Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of the Foundation says, “This award is an opportunity to formally recognise the outstanding work of farmers in this country as they work to adapt, evolve and ultimately succeed in the challenging rural Australian environment. “

 “Those who push the boundaries in rural industries are critical to the nation yet often go unacknowledged.  This award is an important way to celebrate the contribution of those farmers who work hard to make rural Australia sustainable, innovative and productive. It gives them the pat on the back they deserve.”

 “It celebrates the sustainable approaches and the creativity that individual farmers employ on their properties which underpin productivity in the Australian economy,” adds Fitzpatrick.

 Nominations for the awards are now open and close on Monday July 18^th 2011.

 For further information:

 ABC RURAL :                   www.abc.net.au

Kondinin Group:           www.kondiningroup.com.au