AgForce has today announced Emma-Lea Compagnoni from Mungallala will receive a $5000 education scholarship as the winner of the annual Gus McGown bursary.
Emma-Lea has grown up on her family's cattle and sheep property, Umberill, near Mungallala and is currently studying a Bachelor of Animal Science, majoring in livestock production, at the University of New England.
AgForce General President Grant Maudsley said Ms Compagnoni had a strong commitment to the future of Queensland agriculture and was a deserving winner of the bursary.
"Emma-Lea is in her second year of her university studies and plans to use the knowledge she gains about animal nutrition, sheep and wool, and livestock production when she comes back to the family property," he said.
"I hope this helps Emma-Lea further her career in agriculture, while also giving us all a chance to remember Gus McGown, one of Queensland's finest graziers."
Ms Compagnoni said she was honoured to be awarded the bursary and had enjoyed working in agriculture from an early age as "every day was different".
"Being the recipient of this bursary shows that there is support available to young people like me who want to come back and work in agriculture, while it will also help me deal with the hidden costs that can occur when living away from home," she said.
"I want to use the knowledge that I gain from university to help provide food and fibre for our ever-increasing population."
The bursary is named after long-time AgForce member and sheep grazier Gus McGown and rewards one student with links to AgForce's Southern Inland Queensland region with funding towards tuition fees for an accredited qualification, undergraduate study or post graduate levels within Australia.
The bursary will also include a four-week AgForce internship to provide exposure to agri-political advocacy across the three AgForce commodities, communications, projects teams and School Industry Partnerships Program.
The Bursary is sponsored by the Maranoa Graziers Trust and administered by AgForce.