Excellence in Australian farming was celebrated today at Parliament House, Canberra, with the winners of the Kondinin Group and ABC Rural 2020-21 Australian Farmer of the Year Awards announced.

The event was opened by the Hon. David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management and recognised the following outstanding winners:

Kondinin Group and ABC Rural 2020-21 Australian Farmer of the Year and Award for Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by Telstra: James Brown, Dampier Peninsula WA
James Brown, a pearl farmer from Broome WA, is recognised as the 2020-21 Australian Farmer of the Year and winner of the Award for Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by Telstra, for his innovative approach to farming, his support of industry research and development and his dedication to advancing Australian pearls as a premium product around the world.

Young Farmer of the Year, sponsored by McDonald’s Australia: Emma Ayliffe, Lake Cargelligo NSW
 The Young Farmer of the Year, sponsored by McDonald’s Australia, was awarded to Emma Ayliffe, an innovative young farmer and agronomist from Lake Cargelligo NSW who is leading the next generation of farmers enthusiastically into the future

Farming Legend of the Year: Kevin and Rhonda Butler, Kilmore East VIC
 Kevin and Rhonda Butler, sheep farmers from Kilmore East, Victoria, won the Farming Legend of the Year award and were recognised for their incredible commitment to those living in rural and regional Australia through the establishment and ongoing running of BlazeAid.

Rural Community Leader of the Year: Kathryn Robertson, Strathkellar VIC
 Kathryn Robertson is a vibrant young farmer and rural leader from Strathkellar, Victoria, and won the Rural Community Leader of the Year in recognition of her incredible impact on the local community including her role as President of the Sheepvention Rural Expo.

Rural Consultant of the Year, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience: Dr Neil Moss, Camden NSW
 The Rural Consultant of the Year, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, was awarded to Dr Neil Moss who has been committed to supporting Australian farming enterprises to be best they can be for more than 25 years. Based in Camden, NSW, Neil has built a career and reputation on excellence, evidence and the highest levels of dedication, caring and service to the farming community he works with.

Agricultural Student of the Year, sponsored by AgriFutures Australia: Amy Munro, Cumnock NSW
 Amy Munro is the Agricultural Student of the Year, sponsored by AgriFutures Australia. Amy is a young leader from Cumnock, NSW, who has just graduated with a Veterinary Science degree from Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga and is dedicated to encouraging youth in agriculture and supporting the next generation to progress Australian agriculture into the future.

Award for Excellence in Technology, sponsored by New Holland: Matthew Davey, Clinton Centre, SA
 Matthew Davey is a grain farmer on the South Australian Yorke Peninsula and was awarded the Award for Excellence in Technology for his outstanding approach to grain farming and his leadership of on-farm ag-tech adoption.

Award for Excellence in Diversification: Andrew Terry, Exton TAS
 The Award for Excellence in Diversification was awarded to Andrew Terry, who farms out of Exton and Christmas Hills in Tasmania. Andrew produces a diverse mix of premium quality strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries; processing potatoes; poppies; pyrethrum; and 200 head of beef cattle.

Award for Excellence in Agricultural Research: Professor David Jordan, Warwick QLD
 The recipient of the 2020-21 Award for Excellence in Agricultural Research is Professor David Jordan, a key player in the field of sorghum research and currently leading the sorghum pre-breeding program at the Hermitage Research Facility in Warwick, south-east Queensland.

Find out more by following us on social media @ausfarmerawards

The 2020-21 Awards are supported by Platinum Sponsors WFI; Award Sponsors McDonalds Australia, AgriFutures Australia, Corteva Agriscience, Telstra and New Holland; Industry Supporters the National Farmers’ Federation, AgSafe, Goldacres and Blundstone; Leadership Program supporter the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; and Media Partner RM William’s OUTback.

After successive postponements, first in October 2020 and then again in February 2021, the annual Australian Farmer of the Year Awards are set to be announced on June 17, 2021, at a lunchtime ceremony in Parliament House.

The Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, the Honourable David Littleproud, will open the Awards Ceremony, which will once again be broadcast live on ABC Rural’s Country Hour.

Kondinin Group Publishing director, Simon Tarmo, said the postponement decisions were unfortunate but were made with the highest regard for the Awards in mind.

"The Awards aim to build capacity and leadership in agriculture and to do that appropriately it is important to have everyone in the same room. Due to COVID-19 that was impossible in 2020, and even well into 2021, but we have finally managed to coordinate the announcement ceremony and our 2020/21 winners and many agriculture sector leaders and dignitaries will come together next week in Parliament House to celebrate another year, or closer to 20 months, of impressive achievements.”

This is the first time in the Awards' decade-long history that the event has had to be postponed.

Kondinin Group thanks all sponsors and industry supporters, who have stood behind the Awards during this challenging period. The 2020/21 Awards are supported by Platinum Sponsors WFI; Award Sponsors McDonalds, AgriFutures, Corteva Agriscience, Telstra and New Holland; Industry Supporters the National Farmers' Federation, AgSafe, Goldacres and Blundstone; Leadership Program supporter the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; and Media Partner RM William's OUTback.