AgTalk Episode 22 - Leadership, vision and making a difference with NFF President Fiona Simson

In 2015 Fiona Simson became the first female president of the Australia’s peak farmer group. Fiona hails from a farming operation near Gunnedah on NSW’s Liverpool Plains, running a farming enterprise with her husband Ed and family including broad acre farming as well as breeding commercial poll Hereford cattle. 2019 was not an easy year for farmers is that part of the world, in fact probably one of the toughest ever seen. However, Fiona is adamant that she doesn’t not want agriculture in Australia to be defined by these tough times and I quote from a recent National Press conference presentation ‘Many farmers, including me, take offence, to the portrayals of the ‘broken down’, ‘hand-out-dependent’ farmer profile peddled by many members of the media. And she went on to say ‘Ag is not only an industry with a special place in our past, but also an exciting place in our future. In line with this, it’s not surprising that the NFF has embarked on two ambitious settings for Australian agriculture 1. The value for farm gate output to be valued at $100 billion by 2030. Currently around $70bn 2. That Australian Agriculture reaches Carbon Neutrality by 2050. Add to this Murray Darlings Basin, Covid and China current trade settings, just to name a few this job is not without it challenges With these in mind I look forward to chatting to Fiona today about leadership, vision and making a difference.