Ms Cathy McGowan AO
Chair
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Our people
Headquartered in Wagga Wagga, NSW, AgriFutures Australia is powered by a dedicated team of around 80 professionals located across metropolitan, rural, and regional areas of Australia. Our people are united by a shared commitment to our core values: staying connected, being positive, keeping things real, and always thinking towards the future.
Collaboration is key to delivering value to our levy payers and stakeholders. Through strategic partnerships with levied industries, RDCs, industry panels, representative bodies, and research partners, we enhance the adoption of research outcomes. Our Board, leadership team, and Advisory Panels provide strong governance and strategic vision, ensuring AgriFutures continues to grow and innovate.
Meet the AgriFutures Australia team below.
Board of Directors
The AgriFutures Australia Board consists of seven Non-Executive Directors, as well as a Chairperson and one Executive Director (the Managing Director). With a firm pulse on our values – connected, positive, real and future thinking – our skilled and passionate Board sets our strategic direction and monitors our ongoing performance. Working under our Statutory Framework, the Board is responsible for ensuring AgriFutures Australia fulfills its statutory functions in a proper, efficient, and effective manner, including by determining the objectives, strategies and policies to be followed by it.
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Ms Cathy McGowan AO
Chair
Cathy is an experienced company director with an extensive career in business, agricultural research, development, extension, and politics.
As a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, Ms McGowan committed to the vision of a “prosperous caring rural Australia alive with opportunities for everyone”. She believes AgriFutures Australia is the premier national organisation for delivering on her commitment, particularly helping to build a nation with effective rural policies based on prosperous and caring industries.
Prior to her role at AgriFutures Australia, her career highlights include representing the rural electorate of Indi in Parliament from 2013 to 2019, president of the peak national organisation Australian Women in Agriculture, Chair of national Regional Women’s Advisory Council, and a community representative at the 4th Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Doha.
Ms McGowan lives in the Indigo Valley, Dudwroa and Dhargal country, where the community groups play a vital role enhancing sustainability within the Murray– Darling system
BA, Dip Ed, Ma Ag and Rural Development, The Australian Rural Leadership Program – Graduate C 3, Churchill Fellow 1990, Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) Western Sydney University, Officer in the Order of Australia 2004, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow La Trobe University.
Appointed 11 January 2023.
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Mr John Harvey
Executive Director and Managing Director
Mr John Harvey joined AgriFutures Australia in May 2016 as Managing Director. He accepted the challenge to set a more commercial direction for AgriFutures Australia and aims to make it a change agent for transforming existing industries with new technologies and seeding new, high-value industries that ensure Australian agriculture continues to grow.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Harvey held various positions at the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) spanning 18 years, including five years as Managing Director. A graduate member of the AICD, Mr Harvey was a Director of Australian Crop Accreditation System Limited and a Director of the Value-Added Wheat Cooperative Research Centre.
He has served on the boards of Pulse Breeding Australia, Barley Breeding Australia, and the National Soybean Breeding Program. He was also a member of the Australian Winter Cereals PreBreeding Alliance and the CRC for Plant- Based Management of Dryland Salinity.
BSc (Rural) Hons (UNE), GAICD.
Appointed on 3 May 2016. Reappointed 3 May 2021.
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Professor Andrew Harris
Non-Executive Director
Professor Andrew Harris is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at The University of Sydney, and the Australian Director of Laing O’Rourke’s future engineering and innovation consultancy, the Engineering Excellence Group. Laing O’Rourke is Australia’s largest private engineering and construction business, with local turnover of about $3 billion per annum.
Throughout his career, he has worked at the interface between industry and academia. An expert in disruptive innovation, Professor Harris holds deep expertise of digital technology, the Internet of Things, advanced materials, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, big data, the future of work, biomimetics, smart cities, and disruptive technology incubation and acceleration applied to traditional infrastructure, engineering, energy, resources and manufacturing sectors.
Professor Harris was recognised as one of Australia’s 50 most innovative engineers by peak body Engineers Australia in 2016. He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and Engineers Australia (IEAust).
PhD, BEng, BSc, CEng, FIChemE, CPEng, FIEAust, FICE, NER, RPEQ, MAICD.
Appointed 1 October 2020. Reappointed 1 October 2023.
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Mr Danny Le Feuvre
Deputy Chair and Non-Executive Director
Danny is an experienced company director and passionate advocate for rural industries. He is the CEO of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council and holds B.app.Sci from the University of Melbourne, a M.Agribus from University of Adelaide and is a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Driven by a lifelong connection to the land and rural industries he has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing producers. Danny employs a pragmatic and solutionsfocused approach, tackling challenges with a clear vision to deliver value for stakeholders.
Danny’s diverse background encompasses business management, research and development, along with a comprehensive understanding of various rural industries. This unique perspective allows him to approach issues with a holistic and pragmatic viewpoint. Danny’s more recent experiences at the cold face of the NSW varroa biosecurity response has given him a profound and unique understanding of the Australian biosecurity system from an industry perspective.
BAppSc, MAgribus, GAICD.
Appointed 1 October 2020. Reappointed 1 October 2023.
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Dr Harjeet Khanna
Non-Executive Director
Dr Harjeet Khanna is an internationally renowned agricultural scientist with over 35 years’ experience in effective change. From developing the world’s first Fusarium-resistant bananas to spearheading high-impact research programs across three continents, her career has been a testament to her dedication to food security.
As a former Executive Manager at Sugar Research Australia (SRA), she brings rich cross-RDC experience and expertise in strategic R&D management. Her nearly 10-year association with AgriFutures Australia, including recent advisory roles on emerging industries, ginger, and rice panels, further demonstrate her commitment to diverse agricultural spheres. Dr Khanna’s experience includes overseeing major research initiatives, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and leading research teams to achieve effective outcomes. Her passion for collaboration and her ability to thrive in complex environments have fuelled her success in various leadership roles across diverse organisations in India, Africa and Australia.
A graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Academic Board of Astra Institute of Higher Education, Dr Khanna is a thought leader committed to fostering the next generation of agricultural scientists. She leads with vision and values, inspiring those around her to tackle the world’s most pressing food challenges through innovative science and collaborative action.
BSciHons (Delhi University), MSc Genetics (Delhi University), PhD Agricultural Botany (CCS University India and Cambridge University UK), Grad Cert in Research Management (Southern Cross University), GAICD.
Appointed 1 October 2023.
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Emeritus Professor Julie Cotter
Non-Executive Director
Emeritus Professor Julie Cotter is an experienced company director and innovation leader who works at the intersection of R&D and commercial value creation. She believes that science and technology are vital to achieving prosperity for Australia’s rural industries, and for addressing key challenges in ways that increase productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
Professor Cotter has held positions with large vertically integrated agribusinesses, including Chair of Stahmann Webster’s Farming Technology Group and as a member of Australian Agricultural Company’s (AACo) Scientific Advisory Board. These corporate agribusiness roles built on her substantial university career at UniSQ where she led a research centre focused on innovation in agribusiness and supply chains. In April 2018, she was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus in acknowledgement of outstanding scholarly and industry contributions.
Professor Cotter has a finance background and over 10 years, experience as a Non-executive Director. A graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course and Mastering the Boardroom program, Professor Cotter is a member of the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board and chairs its Audit and Risk Committee. Previous Board director roles include Exercise and Sports Science Australia, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, and West Moreton Hospital and Health Service. Professor Cotter lives in Toowoomba, a major Queensland hub for agriculture, food processing and agtech innovation.
PhD (University of Qld), B Commerce (Hons) (University of Qld), GAICD, FCPA, CA.
Appointed on 1 October 2023.
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Mr Matthew Macfarlane
Non-Executive Director
Mr Macfarlane is the Non-executive Chair of icetana (ASX:ICE), an AI-first video analytics company serving the global security industry. He previously served as CEO when the company went public on the ASX. Mr Macfarlane has been a Non-executive Director of the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) since its founding in 2012.
He is also the Chair of PetRescue, a not-for-profit charity helping rescue pets find new homes through innovative technology solutions. Before moving to non-executive roles, Mr Macfarlane spent 11 years in Europe working in mergers and acquisitions, co-founded a $40 million venture capital fund in Perth, and contributed to early-stage startups as an angel investor and mentor.
He is a passionate advocate for the knowledge economy and commercialisation of great ideas through amazing people.
BCom (University of Western Australia), Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.]
Appointed 1 October 2023.
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Ms Cindy Cassidy
Chair of Audit Committee and Non-Executive Director
Ms Cindy Cassidy has graduate and postgraduate qualifications in science and agriculture and is a graduate of the AICD.
Her 25-plus-year career includes research and business management at some of Australia’s largest agribusinesses along with working in regional NSW as CEO of a not-for-profit farming systems group, Temora-based FarmLink Research. Ms Cassidy has training in accounting, and her experience includes financial, performance and risk oversight and Board reporting.
Ms Cassidy was named the 2015 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner. She used the Award’s platform to explore national and international approaches to agricultural innovation and on-farm adoption of change. Ms Cassidy was previously employed by the Bureau of Meteorology as the General Manager of the Agriculture Program. There her extensive networks and long history in agriculture were called on to help tailor weather and climate information for the sector. Ms Cassidy also holds positions at the Southern NSW Drought Hub, and Plant Protein CRC.
GAICD, BSc Macquarie University, MAgr The University of Sydney.
Appointed 1 October 2020. Reappointed on 1 October 2023.
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Professor Andrew Campbell
Non-Executive Director
Andrew Campbell retired in August 2023 after seven years as CEO of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), reporting to the Foreign Minister.
Among influential roles in sustainable agriculture and research management in Australia for over 30 years, Andrew was Australia’s first National Landcare Facilitator, and CEO of Land & Water Australia. Most recently, he was Interim Executive Managing Director of the CGIAR, based in Montpellier, France. He chaired the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in 2020-2021.
Professor Campbell has served on the boards of the Peter Cullen Trust, and the Future Farm Industries CRC. He chaired the Board of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and has previously served as President of the Australian Council for Environmental Deans and Directors. He is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy for Technology and Engineering, a Professorial Fellow at the Australian National University Fenner School, a Principal Fellow in the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Company Directors. He is also Patron of Landcare in Victoria.
Andrew has written widely on landcare, sustainability and the science-policy interface. He is still actively involved on his farm in western Victoria, where his family has been farming since the 1860s.
Dip.For. Creswick, B.For.Sc (Hons) Melbourne, MSc (Distinction) Wageningen.
Appointed on 1 October 2023.
Leadership Team
Championing the AgriFutures Australia values, our Leadership Team drives the operations and teams behind our organisation’s Strategic Plan. The Leadership Team are committed to driving a high-performance culture through their skills, knowledge and commitment to the organisation.
The Board appoints the Managing Director – reporting to the Managing Director are the Chief Operating Officer, and the General Managers for Corporate, Levied and Emerging Industries, Rural Futures, and Workforce, Communications and Adoption. The General Manager, Global Innovation Networks reports to the Chief Operating Officer.
Belinda Allitt
Chief Operating Officer
Louise Heaslip
General Manager, Corporate
Samantha Beresford
General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries
Jennifer Galloway
General Manager, Workforce, Communications and Adoption
Advisory Panels
AgriFutures Australia is committed to working with industry to deliver the research and development outcomes that meet rural Australia’s needs. We work closely with Advisory Panels to decide on research priorities and to make investment decisions each year.
Members of AgriFutures Australia’s Advisory Panels are selected following an open call process which involves a competitive skills-based assessment and/or consultation with key industry bodies and stakeholders. The successful applicants are appointed to the respective Advisory Panel by the Managing Director of AgriFutures Australia. Applicants are required to declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest to the AgriFutures Australia Managing Director prior to appointment. Any subsequent conflicts of interest are managed in accordance with the Corporation’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
The term of appointment of Advisory Panel members is initially for three years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms being applicable to any members of the Advisory Panel. However, it may be necessary to retain members for more than two, three year terms to ensure the availability of particular scarce expertise. Where possible, to maintain continuity of corporate knowledge on an Advisory Panel, only up to half the membership of an Advisory Panel are changed at any one time.
The operational AgriFutures Australia’s Advisory Panels is at all times consistent with the Corporation’s charter under the Primary Industries Research and Development Act (PIRD Act) and AgriFutures Australia’s Strategic Research and Development Plan. Functions of the Advisory panels include:
- Advising on applications for RD&E support in accordance with the objectives and strategies in the Five Year Plans and Corporation guidelines
- Advising on, and assisting in, the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation of the results of the RD&E activity
- Monitoring progress in implementing the relevant RD&E Plan and contributing to progress reports to the Board
- Consulting with, and reporting to, the relevant industry organisation/s in relation to the performance of its functions.
AgriFutures Australia is dedicated to embracing and promoting cultural, age and gender diversity on all of our Advisory Panels.
Chicken Meat Advisory Panel
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Export Fodder Advisory Panel
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Ginger Advisory Panel
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Goat Fibre Steering Committee
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Honey Bee & Pollination Advisory Panel
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Pasture Seeds Advisory Panel
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Tea Tree Oil Advisory Panel
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Thoroughbred Horses Advisory Panel
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Emerging Industries Technical Advisory Group
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