Fiona Simson

Fiona Simson is an Australian champion for Sustainability in Agriculture, Rural and Regional communities, and became an honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, in 2024.^[1][2] She was the first woman president of the National Farmers' Federation.^[2]

Fiona Simson
Nationality	Australia
Education	University of Canberra
Occupation	Vice-president World Farmers' Organisation
Known for	Sustainable Agriculture
Board member of	Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Future Food Systems.

Education and early life

Simson grew up on a farm near Armidale, in NSW, Australia. She was a rotary exchange student, in 1982 in Denmark.^[3]

She followed a career in corporate life, followed by a role in local government. Simson graduated from Bachelor of Arts, at the University of Canberra and is a graduate of the Australian Company Directors. In 2006, she successfully campaigned to stop mining companies from extracting coal seam gas, in central NSW, Caroona.^[3]

Career

Simson ran a family farming business, including a broad acre farming and commercial breeding business, and she was elected as a Councillor in the Liverpool Plains Shire Council.^{[citation needed]}

In 2016, Simson was elected President of the National Farmers' Federation.^[4] Simson is an advisor for Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, on the topic of agricultural research and development.^[5] Simson is also a board member on the Australian Made Campaign, AgStewardship Australia, and the Board of NRMA (NSW). She is also on the board of the Australian Farmers Fighting Fund.^{[citation needed]}

Simson was appointed to the statutory Nature Repair Committee in 2024.^[6] Simson was also a Director of the Biodiversity Conservation Trust of NSW, and One Basin CRC. Simson is Patron of the National Rural Press Clue, and of the Program for NFF Diversity in Leadership.^[7]

Simson was elected as the first Australian vice president of the World Farmers' Organisation in 2024.^[8][9]

Awards and honours

• 2016 – First female president of National Farmers' Federation.^[10][2]
• 2023 – Rabobank Leadership award.^[11]
• 2024 – honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.^[12]
• 2024 – Appointment to Climate Change Authority.^[13]