Ten years to the day since beef legend Graeme Acton tragically died after a horse accident, his legacy to the industry was celebrated by 420 people during Beef 2024.

The latest alumni of the Graeme Acton Beef Connections program presented their final projects, ranging from promoting agricultural education to fixed-time artificial insemination, from preventing bull breakdown to replacing plastic packaging with bio-degradable film made from beef collagen.

The 10 mentees were paired with industry mentors in a program designed to grown future leaders and to commemorate Graeme Acton’s dedication to Beef Australia, both as a board member and chair, as well as the wider industry and its younger generations.

Originally developed by the Beef 2015 Next Gen committee and now facilitated by Jo Eady, the program boasts among its initial intake Adam Coffey, this years Rabobank beef industry award winner.

The son of Graeme, Tom Acton took to the stage at the lunch held during Beef 2024 to thank the organisers, mentors and mentees for their passion and commitment to the program.

“No wonder dad was so passionate about the Beef Australia concept,”Mr Acton said. “He enjoyed the networking and being involved in the youth in our industry.”

Attending the ceremony were numerous state politicians and Premier Stephen Miles.

This year’s mentees included Amy Wicks, Lauren Angus, Phoebe Eckermann, Liam Cameron, Emily McNair, Isobel Heffernan, Xavier McCluskey, Georgia Patterson Dale, Lachlan Smith and Jean Liebenberg.

Their mentors were Richard Rains, Jo Palmer, Georgie Somerset, Prue Bondfield, Rebecca Arnott, Sam Noon, Anthony Lee, Tammy Kruckow, Georgie Aley and Aaron Kiely. Westpac supports the program.

• Stand by for a final wrap up of her experiences being a part of the Graeme Acton Connections Program from Phoebe Eckermann, who has filed a monthly diary countdown to this month’s event published on Beef Central. Click here to access her previous installment filed just before heading to Rocky.