August 14, 2018
Durong grazier – and ABC Board member – Georgie Somerset is set to become the new General President of rural industry lobby group, AgForce Queensland.
The new leadership team will take over after AgForce’s annual general meeting on November 20.
The transition follows a decision by current General President Grant Maudsley not to re-nominate for the position.
AgForce CEO Michael Guerin welcomed Mrs Somerset to her new role and paid tribute to Mr Maudsley.
The Mitchell cattle and grains producer has served as General President for the past four years and has been involved at various levels with AgForce for 16 years.
“It’s been an exciting and challenging time in Queensland agriculture over the past four years, with drought, vegetation management and an aborted Defence Department plan to compulsorily acquire farmland among the issues confronting our members,” Mr Guerin said.
“Grant has been a prominent voice and tireless advocate for Queensland agriculture, and has been at the helm while AgForce streamlined our organisational structure.
“It’s a reflection of his strong leadership that our membership numbers have been increasing steadily and there is renewed interest from primary producers right throughout Queensland seeking involvement in AgForce boards and regional councils.”
Mr Maudsley said it was a privilege and honour to serve in various capacities for AgForce, and he was looking forward to continuing to serve as General President over the next three months before stepping back to give a new team the opportunity to take AgForce forward.
“I feel a great sense of pride in how AgForce has strengthened over the past four years, how the industry has united on common causes, and how individual producers have felt more empowered to speak up on their own behalf or through our organisation and others,” he said.
Mrs Somerset steps up to General President after serving in various roles for AgForce since its inception in 1997, including Vice-President/Deputy Chair and South-East Queensland Regional Director for the past four years.
Mrs Somerset, who will become AgForce’s first female General President, was one of the founders of the Red Earth Community Foundation in the South Burnett, and is also a director of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Queensland, and the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital & Health Service.
AgForce was grew out of a collaboration between the former Cattlemen’s Union of Australia (CU), the Queensland Graingrowers Association (QGGA) and the United Graziers’ Association (UGA).
