Kay Tommerup is this year’s Face of the Ekka, being held from August 10 to 19.
Raised in Capalaba and now living in the Kerry Valley, near Beaudesert, Ms Tommerup said she intended to take this opportunity to create connections and promote the value of the farming industry.
“I have lived in both places and I see the value of the farming industry from both sides. But this is a great chance for me to advocate for farmers and give us a voice,” she said.
Ms Tommerup said she felt proud and honoured to have been asked to be the Face of the Ekka and asked for a full itinerary on her her three days spent at the Ekka.
“I don’t want to just be a token. This is a chance for questions to be answered and to make some personal connections. If you talk to someone face to face, the message will resonate more,” she said.
Ms Tommerup said that farmers were the bottom of the food chain and by pushing prices down, it was becoming more difficult to continue.
“I have seen and experienced how hard it is. The Tommerup farm is five generations old and our children are the sixth. I want to leave our children a legacy and not give them something that is too hard to maintain,” she said.
Ms Tommerup said she and her husband Dave had diversified considerably, through running a farm garden, being open for school groups and hosting farm stays to generate sufficient money to maintain their dairy farm.
“This is much harder work than I ever imagined. I never expected it to be this hard, but it is not something I’d give up. I want Dave to keep the dairy going so he can stay as the person he wants to be,” she said.
Ms Tommerup said she had also entered some colourful eggs for show at the Ekka.