Cattlewoman Puts Harden On The MAP

Last year she was selected for the National Farmers Federation Diversity Agriculture Leadership program.

Since then she has joined two national boards.

• Cattle Australia - national peak body for the grass-fed cattle industry

• Horticulture Innovation Australia - a national R&D

Elke Cleverdon has been a partner in the family farm business for 30 years with her husband and brother.

Together they run a 1500-hectare beef cattle operation with a self-replacing EU-certified black Angus herd of 1000 breeders.

With an extensive background in finance, Ms Cleverdon has used the skills she’s learned over the years not only to manage the family business conservatively with strong financial and strategic planning but to assist other producers across regional NSW to gain the best financial outcomes for their ventures.

“I love the farming community and feel lucky to work with so many producers in the region,” Ms Cleverdon said.

Hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the conversation and contribute to the industry’s long-term sustainability, Ms Cleverdon put her hand up for the board and was elected.

“I’m just delighted really,” she said.

“I was democratically elected by cattle producers.”

The only woman on the board, Ms Cleverdon urged producers to become members of the new peak body which was still in the foundation stages, having just employed a CEO last week.

“We’re working together as a team,” Ms Cleverdon said.

“We fight for whatever topics we face; topics that challenge us. It benefits the greater majority.”

Ms Cleverdon said she considers the following three issues to be key:

• Biodiversity;
• Market access and competition; and
• Climate change.

• Topics:

• Farming
• Women
• People
• Agriculture