NORTH Queensland beef producer Russell Lethbridge is one of three nominations to fill three vacant Meat & Livestock Australia board posts, to be voted-on by members at November’s annual general meeting.

Mr Lethbridge and his family run Werrington Cattle Co, a commercial cattle breeding, growing and finishing enterprise in the basalt country 200km north of Hughenden.

Russell Lethbridge

Werrington has been in the Lethbridge family for 114 years and today runs more than 10,000 head of cattle. Breeding takes place on Werrington a 19,500ha forest block 250 km west of Townsville and growing on Rainmore Station, a 27,000 hectare property near Alpha in Central Queensland.

Mr Lethbridge has a strong understanding of cattle production systems, managing breeder and feeder cattle under extreme environmental conditions and pasture nutrition levels, utilising genetic selection and strategic herd management to achieve production and business success, his board nomination says.

He has been an elected representative on Agforce for seven years, and was a member of the steering committee for the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group to develop and promote a business improvement package for North Australian cattlemen.

Joining Mr Lethbridge as nominees put forward by the board selection committee are existing MLA director Alan Beckett, a Victorian beef producer with specialist expertise in financial, audit and risk framework oversight, and South Australian sheepmeat and wool producer Andrew Michael.

Each year, directors are elected by MLA members at the AGM, with the nominees for election put forward by a nine-member selection committee. Members have the right to accept, or reject those nominees, but have no direct impact on the nominee selection process.

The selection committee is made up of four independent producer representatives; three industry peak council representatives; and two MLA board members, with no voting rights. The committee interviewed a shortlist of candidates from a pool of 85 applicants who nominated for a seat this year.

As a skills-based board and in line with current specific requirements, candidates with extensive skills and experience in at least one of the following areas were encouraged to apply this year:

• Australian beef production – including demonstrated knowledge and/or experience of northern production systems and knowledge and experience in some of the following: pasture management, genetics and nutrition; an understanding of RD&E; emerging technologies and their application
• Australian sheepmeat production systems including demonstrated knowledge and/or experience in diverse production systems and knowledge and experience in pasture management, genetics and nutrition; an understanding of RD&E; emerging technologies and their application
• Financial, audit and risk framework oversight with demonstrated knowledge and experience in and an understanding of issues relevant to Australian and global operations, compliance with statutory obligations.

The three chosen candidates were assessed based on their skills and broad understanding of the Australian red meat and livestock industry, having strong business acumen, financial literacy, an understanding of corporate governance and a collaborative approach in making an active contribution to strategic and board discussion, a selection committee statement said.

MLA chair Dr Michele Allan thanked outgoing board directors Geoff Maynard and Chris Mirams for their service to the MLA Board over six and three years respectively.  Their terms will end in November.

“Mr Maynard and Mr Mirams have each made a strong contribution to the strategic direction and performance of MLA during their terms as MLA directors and the company thanks them for their commitment to the industry and for the role they have played,” Dr Allan said.

Australian red meat producers and stakeholders interested in attending Red Meat 2017 on 21-22 November 2017 in Alice Springs are encouraged to register.

This event is open to all local and interstate producers and industry stakeholders, with the bumper program to showcase Australian beef, lamb and goatmeat and the very best of Central Australia.

The Red Meat 2017 program includes a producer tour, the latest innovation and marketing insights, a trade show and technology demonstrations, business breakfast, outstanding networking opportunities, industry and producer forums and the MLA Annual General Meeting.

To register and red more about the program please visit the Red Meat 2017 event page www.redmeat.mla.com.au.