Beef Australia is pleased to announce Bethany Rands as the newly appointed chair of the Next Gen Committee.

Bethany, a business analyst (operations) with the Northern Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCo), recently completed the Marcus Oldham leadership program and will now lead the committee’s activities as preparations for Beef 2027 continue.

“My top priority will be to help the team deliver a seamless and impactful Next Gen Program,” Bethany says.

“I’ve seen the positive impact this initiative has on young people, myself included, and I’m eager to share that same support,” she says.

“I want to build on the legacy of the program and ensure it remains fresh, valuable, and genuinely exciting for the next wave of talent.”

Beef Australia chief executive Simon Irwin says the Next Gen Program plays an essential role in engaging and inspiring young people who see a future in the beef industry.

“At its core, the program aims to help expose future participants in the beef industry to the incredible variety of pathways that exist for young people seeking a future in Ag,” Simon says.

“In a time where we’re seeing a continuing skills shortage across the industry, it’s more important than ever for our event to focus on supporting and highlighting pathways to employment amongst our next gen audience, and also within our schools’ program,” he says.