Springsure producer wants AgForce top job

Mrs Rolfe announced her intention to run when general president, Ian Burnett, announced he would not be seeking re-election.

She is one of two nominations for general president including Grant Maudsley, from Mitchell.

Mrs Rolfe has been involved in AgForce since 2008, having started as a central Queensland representative on State Council. By the end of 2014 she will have completed her second term as vice president/treasurer.

And she is in a very unique position that she will bring to the table extensive experience in all three of the AgForce commodities.

"I was reared on Daintree Station near Winton, so I spent much of my childhood on a sheep and wool property," Mrs Rolfe said.

"Then when I married my husband Ross and moved to Springsure, initially we worked on the family farming block, before we became beef producers.

"So that has given me an understanding and I have a wealth of hands-on experience in all the three commodities," she said.

The Rolfes run 1500 to 2000 cattle on their properties at Springsure, backgrounding weaners for different markets.

"Add that to my on-farm bookkeeping business I started when the GST was introduced, transitioning producers from manual accounts to the computer. This has given me a greater appreciation of most rural businesses from irrigation to broadacre farming and beef production," Mrs Rolfe said.

Mrs Rolfe said she would like to be in a position representing members and advocating for agricultural businesses in Queensland.

"It really is about growing Australia's markets for all commodities and supporting national agricultural bodies lobbying for market share globally," she said.

"Other issues are improving transport and infrastructure in Queensland.

"There needs to be strong advocacy for improvement in road, rail and port facilities for the transport and export of agricultural products.

"We need to continue lobbying governments for a drought package that enables our members to more effectively manage dry times.

"Another important factor includes raising awareness of biosecurity networks, through the LBN (Livestock Biosecurity Network).

"Queensland has a reputation for disease-free production that AgForce views as being important to our clean green food production image."

Mrs Rolfe is passionate about advocacy to ensure members build sustainability and resilience into their businesses to remain competitive and profitable.

"Queensland agricultural businesses are driven to deliver more competitively priced food and improved environmental and animal welfare outcomes, while addressing challenges such as drought, emerging biosecurity threats and energy and resource scarcity," she said.

Currently Mrs Rolfe is vice-president of the National Farmers Federation, and intends to seek re-election as a director, but will not continue as vice-president if elected as general president of AgForce.