One of The University of Queensland`s (UQ) top graduates has received a select invitation to attend talks with global beef bosses in the USA next week on the introduction of new food safety and quality systems.
Nellie-May Shannon, UQ Gatton`s 2004 Valedictorian, is one of only three young Australians to receive a highly coveted educational travel fellowship to attend the 2005 International Livestock Congress in Houston, Texas.
She will meet industry leaders from North and South America, Japan, Europe and Australia and participate in talks to further one of the beef industry`s highest priorities, the introduction of a product traceability system based on individual electronic animal identification.
Receiving the fellowship caps off a busy few months for Ms Shannon. Graduating from UQ Gatton with a dual degree, she also received the Queensland Cotton Award for Excellence as the top achiever in the Bachelor of Agribusiness program. In January she took up a graduate trainee position with leading Queensland meat company, Nolan Meats, in the group`s quality assurance team.
A passionate advocate for enhanced food safety and quality systems, Ms Shannon is a firm supporter of the Australian beef industry`s new National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and is excited by the opportunities that await her.
“I`m thrilled to receive this chance to learn from the experiences of beef industry experts around the world and their efforts to introduce more secure systems of product assurance,” Ms Shannon said.
“Australia has an excellent record, but we must be proactive and embrace new technology and better systems as they become available to enhance that record and improve the marketability of our product even further.
“I`m hoping to bring back a lot of lessons and new ideas that we can use here in Australia.”
The International Stockmen`s Educational Foundation Travel Fellowship awarded to Ms Shannon is one of a number of overseas study and research opportunities available at UQ Gatton.
Supported by the Bob and Vivian Smith Foundation, students are selected by a multi-national selection committee, with half of the 25 recipients representing international students. Scholastic achievement, leadership experiences and letters of recommendation are all part of the stringent qualifying requirements.
Following their experiences, students are required to write a professional paper to be submitted to the International Stockmen`s Educational Foundation board and UQ.
The Papers will be published in the event proceedings and on the International Livestock Congress web site at www.livestockcongress.com.
More information: Brad Henderson, Marketing Coordinator, Faculty of NRAVS
(07) 5460 1229 or 0409.265.587
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