SHEEPMEAT Council of Australia chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton is among two sheep and wool industry representatives on the new Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Agriculture Consultative Committee.

Mr Harvey-Sutton will serve on the 24-member committee with wool grower and former WA Farmers president Dale Park. The committee’s first meeting will be a tele-conference on May 27.

Committee chairman and ACCC commissioner Mick Keogh said it will provide a forum for the discussion of competition and fair trading concerns related to the agriculture sector.

“We sought nominations and considered a large number of applications. Members were selected from a range of backgrounds and industries within the sector including peak bodies, industry associations, and industry advisors.”

Members are expected to provide input at meetings on:

– issues and processes affecting the agriculture sector that fall within the scope of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010;

– emerging issues or market developments of concern to the agriculture sector; and

– improving communication with the agriculture sector.

ACCC Agriculture Consultative committee members include: Australian Chicken Meat Federation, Vivien Kite; Australian Food and Grocery Council, Michael Rogers; Australian Lot Feeder’s Association, Jim Cudmore; Australian Meat Industry Council national processing director, Stephen Martyn; Australian Pork Limited, Deb Kerr; Ausveg, Richard Mulcahy; Canegrowers, Warren Males; Cattle Council of Australia CEO, Jed Matz; Cotton Australia, Adam Kay; Freshmark, Bill Chalk; Grain Growers, David McKeon; Grain Producers Australia, Daniel Cooper; Grain Trade Australia, Geoff Honey; Growcom, Pat Hannan; National Farmers’ Federation CEO, Tony Mahar; former NSW Farmers president, Fiona Simson; Primary Producers South Australia, Trevor Ranford; Sheepmeat Council of Australia CEO, Mark Harvey-Sutton; Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association CEO, Peter Skillern; Voice of Horticulture and Citrus Australia, Tania Chapman; WA Farmers, Dale Park; Wine Grape Growers Association, Ben Rose; United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president, Adam Jenkins; Agribusiness Australia CEO, Jan Davis.

The ACCC said the committee will meet twice a year. Members have been drawn from a range of backgrounds and industries within the agriculture sector including peak bodies, industry associations, and industry advisors.

Appointment to the committee is at the ACCC’s discretion and members typically hold office for a period of two years. No sitting fees or travel costs are paid and members must meet their own expenses.

Source: ACCC