Five new AgriFutures Australia Board Directors announced

The five new Board Directors (effective 1 October 2020) are:

• Prof. Andrew Harris (New South Wales)
• Ms Cindy Cassidy (New South Wales)
• Ms Diana Gibbs (New South Wales)
• Mr Daniel Le Feuvre (South Australia)
• Ms Emma Robinson (Queensland)

Dr William Ryan (Western Australia) was re-appointed as AgriFutures Australia non-executive Board Director and Mrs Kay Hull continues as Chair. Mr John Harvey, AgriFutures Australia’s Managing Director also continues as the sole executive Board Director.

“I warmly welcome our newly appointed Board Directors to the committed team at AgriFutures Australia. Together we will continue the efforts to return greater benefits and financial returns to our levy payers, industries and the entire nation.

“It is an exciting time for our new Directors as we move into the final few years of delivery against our current Strategic R&D Plan 2017-2022. We have achieved many of our goals and have exciting priorities for our new Directors to engage on. We welcome the extensive skills and experience of our Directors across startups, Rural Women’s Award participation, levied industry panel involvement, family farming along with backgrounds in research, development, and innovation.

“I thank the Minister’s appointed independent selection panel for their commitment, with over 450 applications for six positions they have certainly had an enormous task,” said Mrs Hull.

Mrs Hull also thanked outgoing Directors for their commitment and leadership during their tenures.

“I would like to sincerely acknowledge and thank the significant contributions made by the outgoing Directors: Dr Tony Hamilton, Dr Kate Andrews, Mr Ian Henderson and Mr Ric Clark. These Directors played a significant role in refreshing the organisation and the delivery of our Strategic R&D Plan 2017-2022 plan to date. Their vision, commitment and comradeship during a time of implementation of a new strategic plan was unwavering and commendable. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with such dedication”.

AgriFutures Australia is dedicated to fostering greater collaboration across sectors, investing in new and emerging industries, harnessing global innovation opportunities for Australia and building the capacity of emerging leaders to deliver on-farm benefits for our rural industries and beyond.

AgriFutures Australia invests in research, leadership, innovation and learning to support industries that do not have their own research and development function, new and emerging industries, and the issues that affect the whole of agriculture.