Marketing & Media

Day 5 at the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship

Today's theme was around Marketing & Media. Great topic as alot of this week's discussions with the other Ag Scholars have centred around the concept that we need to get out and help tell the story of Australian agriculture.

I think today's society with platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogs, the speed of technology and accessibility of information, provides a huge advantage to assist in helping to tell the story of agriculture. You don't need a degree in journalism or work as a news anchor - the social media tools available today mean that the everyday person (yes - you and I) that works within agriculture as part of their everyday, has the opportunity to share their story.

So how can a normal everyday person like me, make a difference?

The following clip hopefully will give you an idea on the power of social media in today's society.



 

 

It is all about getting involved in the conversation. Today there are alot of people that do not have that direct connection with agriculture so they lack understanding on who and what happens to produce that food for their table.

By getting more involved in social media and participating in the conversation, you are providing the broader community with a direct link to agriculture - they can talk to someone that actually works in the industry everyday and understand how Australian farmers get such high quality produce to the table with all that mother nature can throw at us. Year in, year out.

 

There are several ways to get involved and one platform we discussed today was Twitter. After a crash course in @handles and #hashtags (I did not come up with these terms!) I think we started to get the idea.

 

On today's agenda for the Woolies #agscholars is marketing & media. First up is the National Farmers Federation #NFF
— Jasmine Nixon (@Jasminejnixon) August 30, 2012

 

The great part about this platform is that it is short and to-the-point and enables you to keep instantly up-to-date on breaking news and what issues and discussions are taking place within both the agricultural industry and the broader community. It also makes influential people such as politicians more accessible, in that you can begin some interaction and they can become more aware of the real issues within our rural communities.

 

So now I am stepping up to the challenge and actively participating in the conversation - please feel free to follow me on Twitter - look for me: @Jasminejnixon

 

(Also, for all you keen Twitter enthusiasts #hashtag #agscholars to follow what the 2012 Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholars have to say as they continue their busy program.)

 



Hawkesbury to the Huon

For something a-little different...

My last post was about the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment - the name coming from its location in the Hawkesbury River area. (See Further in the Field)

The Hawkesbury name, along with several other Australian rivers including the Yarra, Diamontina, Gascoyne, Huon and Norman, have also been used to name the Royal Australian Navy Huon class ships.

This ship class are minehunters and were built in Newcastle for the Royal Australian Navy. They are no any ordinary ship as they have a unique hull which is designed to flex inwards if an undersea explosion occurs nearby. This hull is made of a fibre-reinforced plastic which due to its unique design offers several advantages in low magnetic and noise levels as well as underwater shock resistance.

These ships are continually mapping Australian waters to make sure they are safe, particularly our shipping channels. This is good news and plays an important role in helping to safeguard the large number of merchant vessels that carry alot of our agricultural produce to our overseas export markets.

The safety of our merchant ships is not something that you regularly think about when we talk about our Australian agricultural exports but it is good to know that the Royal Australian Navy is out there performing this role.

HMAS Huon - Royal Australian Navy minehunter which my brother has been posted to during his training.
(Photo from Royal Australian Navy)

This is particularly relevant for me as my brother, MIDN Nixon, has just been posted to HMAS Huon for the next few months so he will be part of the crew on patrol around our coastline for the next few months.

Good luck! And thank you to our Royal Australian Navy and our defence forces for all the work they do.



 

Further in the field

Day three of the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship continued....

Woolies Ag Scholars check out about the whole-tree chambers at HIE for elevated CO2 experiments to explore the trade-off between water use and carbon gain under a range of environmental conditions.

The Woolies Ag Scholars toured the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at the University of Western Sydney.

We were shown the forefront of Australian research into measuring the potential impacts of climate change on Australian ecosystems.

Rainout shelters at HIE - used for large tree experiments (once the trees grow bigger!) to simulate changes in rainfall and intensity and examine the effects.

Although there is alot of study to still be completed, we did learn that based on current information, if atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were to continue to increase, it would actually enable plants to effectively become more efficient:

• As they would be higher yielding,
• Require less nitrogen for the same amount of production, and
• Have improvements in water use efficiency of up to 10%.

This raises some interesting questions and has some interesting implications for agricultural production.

EucFACE at HIE - Free air CO2 enrichment field experiment in existing native woodland ecosystems to explore the response to rising CO2 under natural conditions. 6 circular arrays 23m tall by 25 side have been built within the current vegetation. The series of pipes will introduce extra CO2 to increase levels to simulate the potential effects of climate change.

In the Field

Day three of the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship

 

Today the Woolies Ag scholars were out in the field and visited the Sydney Markets at Flemington. These markets are well known as the 2nd largest terminal market in the world. Approximately 30% of all fresh produce on Australian dinner tables has passed through the gates at Flemington.

 

Eggplants are all checked for specification (to make sure that fit the requirements to bring you, the consumer, a high quality product) at Hydro Produce at the Sydney Markets.

 

They are a hive of activity with over 800 forklifts racing back and forth ferrying everything from eggplants to onions and every other imaginable piece of produce in between.

 

The main produce market is made up of stall spaces, which the market agents buy in order to have a space to sell their produce. The main wholesale produce market's clientele is predominately professional produce buyers from supermarkets, independent greengrocers and restaurants.

 

Wholesale produce stalls within the sheds at Sydney Markets. Each doorway and overhead banner represents a different vendor and each has their produce on display out the front. (This is just part of one row - there are several!)

 

While supermarkets like Woolworths do a lot of direct contracts with suppliers, they also still have buyers within the wholesale produce market and source some of their produce here as well.

 

The main challenge discussed with us by fresh produce wholesalers was getting kids to eat more fruit and vegetables. The Sydney Markets group has put together a "Fresh for Kids" program aimed at school-age kids to encourage them to have a more active, healthier lifestyle through exercise and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables. This program is being used within schools and also has information and support tools available for parents to help encourage education and consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables to keep them healthy.

 

Australian consumers are extremely lucky that we have such high quality fresh fruit and vegetables available and that these are proudly produced to the highest standards by our Australian growers.



Sydney Markets

The Woolworths Agricutural Business scholars just spent the morning at the Sydney Markets at Flemington.

Over 30% of the fresh fruit & veg on Australian tables has passed through the Sydney Markets.

 

 

The Woolworths Way

Day Two of the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship

The main focus of today's sessions was to give us an insight into the management of the Fresh Food side of Woolworths supermarkets in terms of how they manage this part of the business and the challenges they face bringing fresh produce to the consumer that is high quality, fresh, consistent and what the consumer wants.

Pat McEntee is the General Manager of Fresh Food for Woolworths and shared with us several key messages and it was interesting to hear how, as a company they are recognising the need to put the consumer first and foremost. There is soon to be a shift to try and break down some 'walls' and actually put the consumer in touch with the butcher or the baker who prepares that produce daily for that store.

I believe this all reflects on the consumers desire and curiosity to understand where their food comes from and is a great opportunity to educate consumers on the stories, industries and people behind the high quality agricultural produce that Australian farmers produce everyday.

Even the large supermarket giants such as Woolworths are realising they need to be part of the solution to help tell agriculture's story - and understand what it is that farmers do to produce that product so they can convey that to the consumer. For example - making butchers more accessible to consumers can provide avenues to explain how to cook which cut and what an MSA logo on the product actually means...

It was interesting to note that through some of their consumer focus groups and feedback studies, they discovered that there was a public perception that not all of the fresh meat was Australian grown and only 60% of the fresh fruit and vegetables was Australian.... in actual fact with Woolworths,

• 100% of fresh meat is Australian grown; and
• 96% of fresh produce (fruit & veg) is Australian grown.

So next time you sit down to dinner, have a look at what is on your plate and thank an Aussie farmer!

Sneak preview

Wondering what the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship is all about?

Here is a video on some of the participants at last years program.

Hopefully this gives you an insight into what the scholarship program is all about and some of the young people that these programs are identifying as the future of our agricultural industries.

This year's participants come from far and wide across Australia - from Western Australia, Northern Territory to central and Southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, King Island and New Zealand.

And what is more exciting is the range of industries they represent. As part of our group this year we have beef producers and processors, tomato growers, garlic and grape agronomists, potato growers and dairy farmers, vegetable growers, grain traders, stock-feed producers, sheep farmers and assessors, feedlot managers, communication students, crop farmers, extension officers and animal health technical specialists. Such a broad range of fields but ALL involved in careers with agriculture. Should be a fantastic 12 days with some great discussions to be had!

Welcome to Australia's Fresh Food People

Day One of the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship

This was the banner that greeted us today as we entered the Woolworths Limited Head Office and was also the message that Director of Supermarkets Tjeerd Jegen shared with us as he talked about the new strategy and direction Woolworths is taking with their supermarket business.

As one of the largest supermarkets in Australia, it was interesting that the idea behind their re-branding has been to go back to the simple messages of what they do as a business and highlighting the people that do this - yes that's right, highlighting the farmers that produce Australia's fresh produce.

This introduction was the tip of the iceberg for what was an incredible start to the Woolworths Scholarship program. We have already had the opportunity to listen to highly regarded industry speakers which gave us both a perspective on the value of our agricultural industries and also challenged us with what is the strategic long-term plan for Australian agriculture, as well as rub shoulders with some of the senior management team within the Woolworths Fresh Food division and learn about the day-to-day roles they play and challenges they face in making sure they get fresh produce from the farm-gate to the consumer.

Did you know:

• The gross value of agriculture, fisheries and forestries in 2009-10 was $45 billion. 

• Of this $45 billion, 69% of that is exported. Australian farmers are well and truly helping to feed the world.

Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship

It has been a busy few weeks as I have been busy travelling to various Showgirl competitions and Show Balls across NSW - I have had a great time and met some very interesting people but I will share more of that with you later in a separate post.

Today's post is from Sydney as tomorrow I will be joining 30 other young agricultural enthusiasts on the Woolworths Agricultural Business Scholarship.

Woolworths together with other industry sponsors have put together an intensive 12 day course for young people which has a focus on leadership and business skills which have an application in the agricultural industry.

We will be covering topics such as leadership, strategic and financial management, marketing, logistics and professional development as well as site tours of one of their major distribution centres.

This scholarship is a good example of how a large company is providing opportunities at a grass roots level for young people to explore the opportunities that a career within agriculture can provide.

I will bring you more as the week progresses so continue to watch this space!

Bulls in the big smoke

Day two at the Ekka.

Today was a full day of stud beef cattle judging in the main arena. It is such a spectacle to see all the breeds out on display in the main arena for the crowds - it certainly has a fantastic atmosphere. (yes check out the main arena in the photo below - awesome stuff in the main arena - look at all the people and cattle out there!)



2012 Queensland Showgirl Finalists at the Stud Beef Judging

There is some very strong competition for the top prizes and it was great to see the size of the crowds ringside. The Queensland Showgirl finalists visited each ring to learn about the breeds and talk to the exhibitors as well as a few sashing duties along the way.

It was great to see the awareness and recognition of the Showgirl competition of the people around the cattle rings today. It really is a program that helps to bring people from all walks of life and all parts of the country together.

Also got to meet some great people around the stands such as the QCAS (Qld Council of Agricultural Societies) president and his wife and the 2011 Qld Rural Ambassador and Cattle Council Rising Champion - all great advocates of agricultural shows and getting more youth involvement in our shows.

More beef judging is on tomorrow as well as the interbreed - which is the best of the best!



Qld Showgirl finalist Jane Lillingstone (representing South East sub chamber) and 2012 The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl (me!) get up close and personal with the junior champion Charolais bull.

Off to the Ekka!

This week my showgirl duties have taken me north to sunny Queensland to the Ekka – the Royal Queensland Show in Brisbane.

NSW and Queensland are the only two states that still hold an annual state showgirl competition. Last year a Showgirl exchange program was started between the Royal Easter Show and the Brisbane Ekka. We hosted the 2011 Queensland Miss Showgirl, Samantha Gluer at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney this year, and this week I am here in Brisbane representing the NSW Showgirl competition.

I am already well into the jam-packed program they have lined up for us, but some quick highlights for today was the visit to the Rural Press office in Brisbane, home of the Queensland Country Life and afternoon tea at Government House with the Governor of Queensland. (More on both of these visits later). Her Excellency shared some inspirational words with us on remembering the “big picture” and the importance of our shows in helping to promote agriculture, which in her words is such a vital industry in terms of ensuring sustainability, care for our environment and most importantly food security.

The Queensland hospitality has been great so far and I am excited to see what the rest of the week will bring. I will bring you more updates on my adventures soon!

Queensland Miss Showgirl finalists, 2012 The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl and 2011 Queensland Miss Showgirl winner at the Queensland Country Life office.