Agsafe’s conference and awards evening featured the much-anticipated Agsafe Stewardship Awards, emceed by experienced facilitator and organisational coach Belinda Lowing.
The first award, presented by CropLife Australia, was for the Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s winner, and nobody more deserving, according to the selection committee, was long-time Agsafe facilitator, trainer and drumMUSTER regional consultant, Vernon Keighley.
Mr Keighley has been a part of the Agsafe family since almost the beginning – commencing as an employee in Sydney way back in 1994. Mr Keighley has contributed much of the content that Agsafe has built from the early years of the countless variations of the Code of Conduct (now embedded in the Agsafe Industry Standard).
During that time he has been involved in guiding and moderating the Industry Reference Group, transforming accreditation audits to the industry premises review process, creating Guidance Notes, and delivering countless training sessions across all aspects of Agsafe’s services – to literally thousands of people in the industry.
The next award, the drumMUSTER Community Group of the Year was awarded to the Dunedoo Lions Club for their continued efforts promoting and developing the program in the region. Following this was the drumMUSTER Council Collection Facility which was presented to the Wingecarribee Shire Council for the work they have done with local retailers and farming groups to grow the services they offer for drumMUSTER.
The first of the Agsafe awards was for an Outstanding Team Member in an AgVet premises. Agsafe general manager Dominique Doyle said this was a difficult decision as there were multiple worthy nominations, with six very deserving finalists. Presented by Michael Francis from Adama Australia, Donna Felder from Elders Loxton was the 2023 winner of the award and was thrilled to be there in person to receive it.
The Outstanding AgVet Premises Exhibiting Safety and Stewardship Award had six finalists in the category and was awarded to FarmWorks Narrogin in Western Australia. FarmWorks Narrogin is a growing business and with this growth, an opportunity arose to apply changes that would result in a business that would be a safer site for all of their employees and clients.
The final award for the evening, the Agsafe Chair’s Award sponsored by BASF, presented to an organisation or individual in recognition of their continued stewardship services to the industry. This year’s recipient was Freshcare Australia for their support of Agsafe’s stewardship programs.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Vernon Keighley
drumMUSTER Community Group of the Year
Dunedoo Lions Club
drumMUSTER Council Collection Facility
Wingecarribee Shire Council
Outstanding Team Member in an AgVet premises
Donna Felder – Elders Loxton
Outstanding AgVet Premises Exhibiting Safety and Stewardship Award
FarmWorks Narrogin
Agsafe Chair’s Award
Freshcare Australia
