DYNAMIC beef industry leader Bryce Camm says industry should play a far stronger role to encourage young people to study agriculture at university.
Mr Camm was speaking to a Rural Press Club of Queensland lunch involving 300 people celebrating National Agriculture Day at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday.
The champion of ecologically secure beef systems said given the profile of food production and the environment at the tertiary level industry should be making agricultural courses more attractive by reducing the financial cost to students.
The move was necessary to address a massive skills shortage and to help champion develop people who would positively foster the importance of the industry, he said.
Mr Camm is the managing director of his family's Camm Agricultural Group, a former president of the Australian Lotfeeders' Association, former chair of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework Steering Group, and earlier this year led Beef Australia to one of its most successful events.
Rural Press Club of Queensland's next event is the annual Rural Media Awards and end of year celebration at the United Service Club, Brisbane, on December 8.