AUSTRALIA’S peak sheep meat body is seeking young people willing to act as ambassadors for the industry.

Sheep Producers Australia is seeking applications from people in the sheep industry aged 25 to 40 for the 2018 Sheep Industry Ambassadors Award.

The award recognises the contributions of two outstanding sheep industry people and their potential as industry leaders as part of the SPA and Meat & Livestock Australia joint initiative, ‘Building Leadership Capability for the Sheep Industry’.

The initiative’s objective is to ensure the Australian sheep industry attracts and retains people with leadership skills to contribute to the long-term viability of the industry by developing industry capability and capacity.

The Ambassador award includes an all-expenses paid, week-long study tour from August 1-8 2018 including attending Australia’s premier sheep meat industry event, LambEx 2018 and the SPA Leadersheep Forum in Perth. It features visits showcasing the industry supply chain across Victoria and South Australia with leaders of the United States sheep industry.

There is also the potential to be part of other professional development and industry representation opportunities with SPA. The award is valued at more than $4500, a significant investment in developing each future leader.

Interested future leaders must submit an application form and a two-minute video clip to be considered for the award. In the video, applicants must demonstrate their role in the industry and their vision for its future.

SPA said applicants must be able to demonstrate their industry involvement including work and education history, their capacity to be a current sheep industry ambassador, their understanding of the industry’s importance and articulate a vision for its future. They must also have the potential to be a future leader within the industry and SPA and be willing to work with SPA on industry initiatives, SPA said.

SPA ambassador in 2016, Ben Munzberg from Victoria, said the award provided him with a deeper understanding of the entire sheep industry and how all segments of the industry work together.

“I feel I am now better equipped to have input to producer groups and take on leadership roles, both at the workplace and within the industry.

“Since starting the program, it has driven and encouraged me to join and be more active in producer groups, which has improved my networking and provided a great place to learn from other people,” he said.

“It has been a fantastic experience which has allowed me to meet some great people involved in the sheep industry, build international networks, gain a better understand of all aspects of the industry and develop as a person.”

Applications close at 9am on Monday June 25 2018. The application form and video guidelines are available at www.sheepproducers.com.au/ambassadors

Source: Sheep Producers Australia.