Expanding the possibilities for the future

Cheyne Twist, Communications Officer

2021 GenAngus Future Leaders Program participant Ellenor Nixon has been involved in the beef industry her whole life.

Hailing from a property near Merriwa, NSW, her family runs a straight-bred, self-replacing Angus herd. Ellenor received her first Angus heifers as a gift in 1998, and her small herd is run alongside the family herd. Although she currently works and lives in Sydney, where she is employed in a Commonwealth agency, Ellenor is deeply involved in managerial decisions made on property within the family operation, such as genetic selection. The family’s operation sees them produce replacement heifers and feeder steers that go to Caroona and Killara Feedlots. They also sell stock to Scone and Kurri Kurri. As their herd’s performance has improved, the family has enrolled in several producer programs, including JBS Grass Fed, and have recently gained their EU accreditation. In the coming years, Ellenor has plans to return to the family farm to partake in a more involved role in the business. “I’m returning to the farm when my job finishes in 2023 so will be much more involved in the hands-on day-to-day management,” said Ellenor. “I want to stick with Angus as they are what I am most familiar with and the tools that Angus Australia have for genetic selection and feedback are really helpful.” “I’m interested in taking over the business when I return from Sydney and am currently on-farm about one weekend a month. I really enjoy the measurement of herd performance and watching outcomes of the genetic selections that we make shape the herd over the next generations.” “Apart from market outcomes, we have managed to reduce dystocia to an absolute minimum, and we’ve bred fat into the herd that really helped our cows through the drought.” When it comes to the long-term blueprint for their breeding operation, Ellenor looks to improve performance in their herd, considering seasonal and environmental impacts, which are a major consideration in the Australian climate landscape. “I aspire to have a high-performing herd of an appropriate size for the seasonal conditions on our property,” said Ellenor. “I really enjoy the stewardship and environmental aspects of farming, aiming to manage the land so it is improved over time. This requires flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing markets, climate and other opportunities.” Taking part in the GenAngus Future Leaders Program has opened Ellenor up to an array of different aspects within the industry, in particular those that are beneficial to her personal development and how she interacts with both herself and others. “The GenAngus Future Leaders Program was a full-on three days online, but I loved every minute. Each presenter was engaging and passionate about what they do.” “Our first workshop about mindset from 21 Whispers was amazing as a starter. It boosted my self-confidence and made me determined to get the most out of the conference and the opportunities that it offered. That has helped me in the most immediate way in both my current job and my agricultural career.” “As I am currently in Sydney, Deanna Lush’s (Co-Founder & Managing Director, AgCommunicators) workshop about how to engage with people in a positive way when discussing topical issues in agriculture has overhauled how I discuss these topics with people I work and interact with. It doesn’t always work but watching people think and consider instead of reacting emotionally because I’m listening to them is like magic.” When reflecting on the seminars which focused on practical forms of development which can be implemented on farm, Ellenor highlighted the presentations made by Heidi Wright of Wright Social and Jess Cavanagh and Steven Mirtshin of Proagtive. “I have already implemented some of the social media skills that Heidi taught us, which has already resulted in my platform growing.” “I’m also talking to Proagtive about succession planning as that is one of the upcoming major events in our business’s evolution.” When asked why she would encourage others to take the opportunity and apply for future GenAngus Future Leaders Program, Ellenor said that the skills development is key. “The Future Leaders Program was absolutely amazing and was well put together to set up participants for success. We started with adjusting our mindsets as “now” leaders rather than “future” and learning to have constructive conversations with people both inside and outside agricultural industries,” said Ellenor. “We developed foundation skills in social media engagement and advocacy as well as being exposed to some of the possibilities of technologies that are being created right now. I came away from the three days brimming with ideas, with new industry contacts and with the skills to communicate my goals and plans.” “I highly recommend the Future Leaders Program as an engaging and rewarding way to upskill and expand your thinking about the possibilities for the Angus breed and the bright future for agricultural industries in Australia. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet some leading figures in the industry and network with the up-and-coming future leaders.”