BENALLA beef farmer Alana Johnson is the Victorian Woman of the Year.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said Alana Johnson had been named the winner of the 2010 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women's Award. 

Ms Johnson, a fifth generation farmer from Benalla, is a founding member of Australian Women in Agriculture Inc.

Mr Helper said Ms Johnson’s ambition to invest in agriculture through innovative philanthropy made her a praiseworthy winner of this year’s award. 

“Alana has many accomplishments; she is engaged in beef cattle production, farm forestry and landscape renovation with her husband and sons on their property near Benalla, and holds a position on the board of the Victorian Women’s Trust.

“Alana was also a participant at the 2020 Summit and a facilitator at the National Rural Women’s Summit.”

Ms Johnson will receive a $10,000 bursary which she will use to establish the Australian Agricultural Future Foundation - a philanthropic vehicle to support long term development and viability in the agriculture sector.

“This project will create a new approach to agricultural philanthropy, both in Australia and internationally and be the first national philanthropic trust in the world dedicated to the future of agriculture,” Ms Johnson said.

Ms Johnson was presented with her award at Parliament House in Melbourne today.

The 2010 runner-up is Claire Penniceard, a pig producer from Euroa who has previously won significant awards including the Victorian Telstra Business Women’s Award.

Rural Women’s Award official ambassador Rosemary McKenzie said Ms Penniceard would attend the prestigious Australian Institute of Directors’ Course in Canberra.

“Claire established her enterprise, The Pig Pen, 10 years ago, and supplies elite export markets, while operating as an environmentally, socially and commercially sustainable working model of intensive agriculture.

“Claire has won a number of significant awards including the Victorian Telstra Business Women’s Award in the Innovation category, and is the only farm ever to have become a Banksia Environmental Award national finalist.  The Victorian winner will join winners from other states and territories as finalists for the national award to be announced in Canberra in May. 

This year’s finalists were Prue Addlem, Rowan O’Hagan, and Susan Findlay Tickner.