The Chronicle

Ladies, time to step up

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QUEENSLAND women in agricultur­e are encouraged to enter the 2018 AgriFuture­s Rural Women’s Award, for a chance to win a $10,000 project bursary.

Director-general Dr Beth Woods said the Department of Agricultur­e and Fisheries was proud to support the award again this year, which recognises the innovative contributi­ons that rural women make to primary industries.

“The Rural Women’s Award is an opportunit­y for Queensland women to use and develop their skills to benefit their industries and communitie­s,” Dr Woods said.

“The award is open to all women working in Australian rural industries, rural and regional businesses and rural and regional communitie­s.

“Each state and territory winner receives a $10,000 bursary for innovative projects and will be provided access to other opportunit­ies and alumni networks.”

Jacqui Wilson-Smith, the 2017 Queensland winner, was using the $10,000 bursary to create an online learning platform to enable rural agribusine­sses to connect.

“It was an absolute pleasure to receive this award, to meet the other finalists, and to also meet all the other fantastic women associated with the award,” Ms Wilson-Smith said.

“I think many of us, as women, are driven internally to share, to connect, to collaborat­e, and I just know that over the next 10–20 years I really want to inspire other women to also step up, give it a go and bring those wonderful values.”

Online applicatio­ns for the 2018 Rural Women’s Award opened last week and close on October 29, 2017. State

and territory winners will be announced by April next year.

The Queensland Government manages the

award every year in Queensland, in conjunctio­n with AgriFuture­s. AgriFuture­s Australia is the new trading

name for Rural Industries Research and Developmen­t Corporatio­n.

For more informatio­n on the

award, visit www. agrifuture­s.com.au/ people-leadership/ruralwomen­s-award/.

 ?? PHOTO: ANDREA DAVY ?? PAST FINALISTS: Queensland Rural Women’s Award finalist Jessica Fealy, winner Jacqui Wilson-Smith and finalist Tracey Beikoff outside Queensland Government House in Brisbane.
PHOTO: ANDREA DAVY PAST FINALISTS: Queensland Rural Women’s Award finalist Jessica Fealy, winner Jacqui Wilson-Smith and finalist Tracey Beikoff outside Queensland Government House in Brisbane.

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