Meat & Livestock Australia has made an appointment to fill the Meat Standards Australia operations manager’s position vacated following the recent departure of Shaun Johnston.

Taking up the role in the next few weeks will be experienced processing sector manager, Richard Lower.

Mr Lower is currently employed as technical quality manager with Victorian processor, G&K O’Connor, based at Pakenham.

He has a strong CV, outlining 20-plus years’ experience working across the red meat industry.

On his Linked-In page, he lists his core expertise in the area of food processing, extension of shelf-life of perishable goods, yields, process and efficiency improvements, animal handling and animal welfare.

Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Scott Hansen said Mr Lower’s extensive working career covered technical, quality assurance and procurement roles with large processing and food companies.

Prior to his current role with G&K O’Connor, where he is responsible for technical, quality assurance and process improvement for the plant, he worked with George Weston Foods for six years in meat procurement and technical roles. Before that, he spent some years as technical director with Cargill, in its North American and Australian operations.

“Mr Lower’s past work experience makes him a very good fit for the MSA management role, and he will bring a strong skill-set around the commercial end of the business and meeting customer requirements,” Mr Hansen said.

“His strong QA background also provides a very good fit for the verification and quality systems functions that are vital to the integrity of the MSA program, and the technical expertise established working at numerous beef plants, both here and overseas, provides an excellent background understanding of how implementation of changes to the MSA system is best achieved,” he said.

Mr Lower replaces former JBS plant operations manager Shaun Johnston, who filled the MSA manager’s role for only three months before resigning to accept a senior operations management position with Teys Australia.

Mr Lower will take up his new position within the next month, operating out of MSA head office in Brisbane.