CA president David Foote, left, with Region 11 directly elected member Ben Hewitt and Animal Health Australia’s Dr Samantha Allan

CATTLE Australia has announced its 2024 Board and introduced its new democratically elected Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting in Albury, NSW, today.

The AGM marked the first full year of operation of Cattle Australia as the peak representative body of the grass-fed cattle industry.

Two Elected Director positions were contested through the Cattle Australia election process, with David Foote from the North Australia Beef Research (NABR) Region re-elected and George King appointed as Director from the South Australia Livestock Research (SALR) Region. Garry Edwards (SALR)  with Bryce Camm (NABR), Elke Cleverdon (SALR),  Adam Coffey (NABR), and James Bowie (West Australia Livestock Research) continuing in Director roles.

Mr Foote thanked his fellow Board members for their work over the first 12 months of the organisation and said he was looking forward to continuing to develop a body that was driven by the needs and priorities of the nation’s more than 40,000 grass-fed cattle producers

“In our first 12 months we’ve worked to put in place the right foundations to set the organisation on a path to becoming the most powerful advocacy body in Australian agriculture,” Mr Foote said.

Marcus (left) and Peter Richardson (right), Tabletop, NSW, and Peter Camp from Yalyeeda Station in the WA Kimberley.

“Our commitment and attention now turns to the next 12 months and continuing to develop a body that is truly representative of our members across the country.

“Our job is to roll up our sleeves and make sure what grass-fed producers have to say counts.”

Mr Foote said the election of the inaugural RCC was an important milestone in Cattle Australia’s evolution as a democratic representative body.

The RCC comprises 15 directly elected Cattle Australia members from the identified 15 Sub-Regions plus eight State Farming Organisation (SFO) representatives, appointed by their respective SFO, with CA’s CEO Dr Chris Parker appointed Chair.

“We were heartened to see each and every one of these positions filled, not a small feat for a new organisation, and see this as a marker of the enthusiasm that exists for the impact Cattle Australia will have on agricultural advocacy,” Mr Foote said.

RCC Directly elected members

• Region One: Angus White

• 

  Felicity Anderson, Tumbarumba, NSW and Matt Dalgleish, EP3.

• Region Two: Cye Travers
• Region Three: Mac McArthur
• Region Four: Loretta Carroll
• Region Five: David Allen,
• Region Six: Richard Sutton
• Region Seven: Sam Nevill Bell
• Region Eight: Tamara Michalek
• Region Nine: Peter Camp
• Region 10: Kari Moffat
  

  New CA CEO Dr Chris Partker with Stacey Wordsworth, Blue Hill PR and Lucinda Corrigan, Rennylea Angus, NSW.

• Region 11: Ben Hewitt
• Region 12: Lloyd Hick
• Region 13: Jordan Wilson
• Region 14: Tess Bitmead
• Region 15: Caitlin McConnel

RCC State Farming Organisation representatives:

• Livestock SA: Gillian Fennell
• NSW Farmers Association: Bill Stacy
• Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia: Murray Gray
• Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association: Justin Dyer
  

  Michael Gooden, Willow Lee, Sangido, NSW and Andrew Whitelaw, EP3.

  Michael Gooden, Willow Lee, Sangido, NSW and Andrew Whitelaw, EP3.

• WA Farmers: Melanie Tolich
• Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association: Paul Saward

AgForce Queensland: Brontë Lloyd

The Cattle Australia AGM was followed by an industry forum featuring speakers from across the grass-fed cattle supply chain. More reports on Beef Central on Monday.

Source: Cattle Australia