AECL Managing Director James Kellaway said that Kate Mason is a Western Australian free range egg farmer who has impressed the industry by the way she seized an opportunity and started from scratch to become a successful free range egg farmer.

“During that time, she has highlighted that she is an astute businesswoman who manages to juggle family life, her business and industry activities,” Mr Kellaway said.

“Kate has been a constructive participant in the Australian egg industry for a number of years now and was even a recipient of a Nuffield Scholarship recently,” he said.

The award was one of nine Kondinin Group/ABC Rural Australian Farmer of the Year Award winners announced at a gala function at The Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney on 9 September.

The Egg Farmer of the Year award was open to egg farmers from all production systems around the country. The finalists were Kate Mason from Western Australia, Joyce Chapman from Western Australia and Madelaine Scott from Victoria.

“AECL is very pleased to sponsor the Egg Farmer of the Year award because it is open to egg farmers from all farming systems who might not otherwise get a chance to be recognised for their good work,” he said.

“I would also like to congratulate the other finalists too as it is a great achievement for them,” he said.

The inaugural Egg Farmer of the Year award in 2014 was won by Danny Jones, the Managing Director of Pure Foods in Tasmania.