New WoolProducers Australia president Richard Halliday

Livestock SA president Richard Halliday will renew a push for unity in the wool industry as the new WoolProducers Australia leader.

The Bordertown poll Merino stud breeder and commercial woolgrower defeated fifth generation Lal Lal producer Geoff Fisken in a leadership ballot at the WPA AGM in Melbourne yesterday.

A WoolProducers Australia statement today said Mr Halliday will work at the national policy level promoting issues affecting Australian woolgrowers.

“We want to renew the push for increased unity in the wool industry, as there are several bodies who all have good intentions for their memberships but we know that unified efforts will be best for grower’s interests,” Mr Halliday said.

Woolgrower consultation to continue

Mr Halliday said invited representatives from Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders and the Australian Superfine Woolgrowers Association made a valuable contribution to a meeting in Melbourne this week.

“We look forward to continuing this formal affiliation and seeking their opinions to help us make the best decisions we can on behalf of industry.

“We are aware there are a significant number of growers who are not involved in policy-making decisions but these policies impact them, so we will continue our grower consultations in all wool growing states,” he said.

As a member of Animal Health Australia (AHA), WoolProducers is responsible for the oversight of the health and welfare levy spend and it is a priority to ensure that growers inform this, WPA said in the statement.

Halliday thanked outgoing president Fisken for service

Mr Halliday has served as chairman of Livestock SA and was a national finalist in the 2013 Biosecurity Farmer of the Year. The Livestock SA website says he is the principal partner of Callowie Pty Ltd and Callowie Poll Merino Stud – a family farming business with his wife Jacquie and three children Sarah, Angus and Thomas at Bordertown.

The Halliday mixed farming enterprise encompasses stud and commercial Merino sheep, wool, prime lamb production, lucerne seed and hay.

Mr Halliday was formerly senior vice president of WoolProducers Australia, and is a member of the SA Sheep Advisory Group. He is also a facilitator of the Rural Industries Skills Training Lifetime Ewe Management program.

Mr Halliday thanked Geoff Fisken for his dedicated service with WoolProducers Australia.

Yass woolgrower Ed Storey was elected to the position of senior vice president at the WPA AGM and Jim McKenzie maintained the position of vice president and treasurer.

 Source: WoolProducers Australia