NEW regional chairs have been appointed to the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council’s northern, central and western New South Wales/Queensland sheep meat regional committees.

A number of new producer members have also been appointed to the SALRC regional committees.

SALRC is an independent, incorporated association and one of three national research Councils setup to provide recommendations on research, development & adoption priorities and planning for sheepmeat and grassfed beef producers throughout Australia.

Magnus Aitken, a sheep and cattle producer from the Conargo region, has been appointed regional chair of the Central and Western NSW (including QLD sheep) regional committee.

Mr Aitken manages Paraway Pastoral’s Steam Plains and Cooinbil Stations and is the board chair of Western NSW Local Land Services.

Christine White, a sheep and cattle producer from the Coolah region, has been appointed the regional chair of the Northern NSW regional committee. She is a board member of the Central West Local Land Services and a producer member on MLA’s Producer Advisory Reference Group.

In addition to the two newly appointed regional chairs, SALRC has confirmed that Southern NSW regional committee chair Lisa Anderson will continue her leadership role with SALRC. Her second term commenced after the SALRC annual general meeting on 15 September.

SALRC chair Ian Rogan also welcomed a number of new sheep meat and grass-fed beef producer members to the regional committees:

• Louisa-Jane Cunningham, western Victoria – mixed farming enterprise (Dohne sheep and cereal crops), Shelford.
• Georgie Knight, western Victoria – cattle breeding and backgrounding, Mortlake.
• Will Bignell, south-east Victoria and Tasmania – sheep enterprise (prime lamb and composite ewe flock), Bothwell, Tasmania.
• Wayne Osborne, south-east Victoria and Tasmania – steer/bullock operation west and south Gippsland.
• Allan Vagg, central and western NSW including QLD sheep meat – self-replacing sheep and cattle enterprise, Hillston, NSW.
• Sandra Ireson, central and western NSW including QLD sheep meat – grass-fed beef breeding enterprise, Hay, NSW.

In announcing the appointments, Mr Rogan said they followed a strong commitment to building industry and organisational capability and once again followed an extensive selection and appointment process.

“Our lamb and beef producer members of our seven regional committees across four states, bring crucial on-ground experience to the processes we use to develop priorities for research and development that can bring value to our industries,” he said.

Central and Western NSW/QLD regional committee chair Magnus Aitken said he was pleased to take on the role of SALRC regional chair.

“I believe that producer input into research, development and adoption investment priorities is an essential part of ensuring that R&D funding is directed towards projects which are commercially relevant, which in turn plays a big part in the adoption of R&D outcomes,” he said.

“We have an excellent committee which is representative of the whole region and its demographics.

“It is a diverse region covering pretty well all livestock industries, ranging from mixed farmers to extensive livestock and rangeland producers, and a growing QLD sheep industry,” he said.

“I’m keen to ensure that input from our whole region and all of its livestock industries is on the table when decisions are being made to determine investment priorities for the whole industry.”

Newly appointed Northern NSW regional chair Christine White said SALRC provided a unique platform for researchers and producers to connect.

“Being able to have a say on livestock research, provide feedback on potential projects and see how challenges can become opportunities is part of what SALRC has to offer. It’s an exciting time to be in the industry, and an exciting time to be part of SALRC,” she said.

The terms of all positions commenced following the SALRC AGM on 15 September.

Source: SALRC