Cultivating agricultural leadership of tomorrow

Prime Super has partnered with the National Farmer’s Federation (NFF) in its Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program (DiALP) for the last six years. As a fund with regional roots and a passion for diversity, this connection made sense. 

In 2024, Prime Super sponsored Merredith “Merri” King, in the program.  Raised on a cattle farm in NSW, Merri’s connection to agriculture runs deep. Though she studied international relations, her professional path gradually brought her back to the land. This time through a modern lens of sustainability at McDonalds. 

“I couldn’t believe my luck – from being born and bred on a cattle farm in NSW to ending up working in sustainability for beef in one of the largest beef buyers in the country. It felt like everything came full circle.” 

Merri was looking to connect with people in the agricultural sector and the NFF’s program seemed like the perfect vehicle to do that. It was also an opportunity to take stock and reflect on the future. 

“I’m in my mid 50’s now and I felt that it was a really good time to sit back and think about what my career is going to look like for the next 20 odd years. I want to stay active and vibrant in the workforce. This program offered a chance to reset and meet other incredible women navigating similar paths.  

“I had expected the program to be a lot more corporate and targeted to a much younger cohort. I was pleasantly surprised that most people were around my age group, wanting to connect with other women in a similar position. The program was brilliant for that. I didn’t expect it to take me in the direction that it did, so for me, it was really, really good.” 

The process starts early in the year when applications are submitted. Successful applicants are notified in May, and the program goes on for about 6 months. Applicants are paired with a mentor to support them through the process.  

Allison Harker, Prime Super board member and former graduate of the program was Merri’s mentor. 

“I’m not sure how they paired us with our mentors, but every person I spoke to said that it was spot on. It was amazing to connect with Allison – someone who’s got incredible global experience, living in the country and yet able to maintain a connection in the city. To me, she’s the quintessential example of how you can couple regional living with running a business. While she exudes strength, she’s got a warmth and depth to her which I resonated with.” 

Merri has taken away two key elements from the program – prioritising her physical and mental health and working on her personal brand. 

“When people ask me what I do, it’s less about who I work for, and more about what I actually do. I really want to talk about my work in the agriculture and sustainable space and I’m working on crafting my own narrative. 

“I’ve started practicing this at different events and it has led me to a conversation with a professor up at a university who I’m potentially working on a paper on sustainability with. That’s a big win for me.” 

“I truly appreciate Prime Super’s support of the agriculture industry and the progress of women. I think that agriculture is huge. It’s not one single person, it’s everything from what I’m doing in sustainability to technology, to science.” 

Prime Super’s continued the sponsorship of the program with the NFF and this year, is sponsoring Karen Penfold, Founder and Director of Four Daughters Beef - Western QLD. 

“My time at DiALP has been so instrumental that I encouraged Karen to sign up for the program and I’m thrilled that she’s also being mentored by Allison. I would love to connect with her to find out how she’s found the program.” 

Prime Super’s ongoing commitment to the DiALP program reflects its belief in cultivating talent, connection and equity in agriculture. By supporting programs that elevate diverse voices and strengthen leadership across generations, Prime Super is helping to shape an industry that is resilient, innovative and truly representative of those who make it thrive. As the next cohort steps forward, the ripple effects of this support will continue to be felt for generations to come.