Four new Board Directors welcomed to AgriFutures Australia

The four new AgriFutures Board Director appointments that took effect on Sunday, 1 October 2023 are:

• Prof. Colin (Andrew) Campbell
• Emeritus Prof. Julie Cotter
• Dr Harjeet Khanna
• Mr Matthew Macfarlane

Ms Cindy Cassidy, Prof. Andrew Harris and Mr Danny Le Feuvre were re-appointed as AgriFutures non-executive Board Director and Ms Cathy McGowan AO remains as Chair. Mr John Harvey, AgriFutures’ Managing Director also continues as the sole executive Board Director.

“I am pleased to welcome our newly appointed Directors – Andrew, Julie, Harjeet and Matthew and look forward to continuing the important work of AgriFutures with Cindy, Andrew and Danny. I would also like to gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Dr William (Bill) Ryan, Mrs Diana Gibbs and Ms Emma Robinson.

“Each Board Director brings a wealth of experience and will add value to this unique Research Development Corporation. They join at an exciting time as we continue to deliver on the AgriFutures Australia Research and Innovation Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

“I thank the Minister and his independently appointed selection panel for their hard work in assessing the applications. We received over 280 applications, so the process was no small task.

Ms McGowan also thanked retiring Board Director, Bill Ryan for his nine years of dedicated service to AgriFutures.

“Bill has worked in agriculture and agribusiness throughout his long career and his vast experience in research and agribusiness has been of extraordinary benefit to AgriFutures. He will be dearly missed and I would like to recognise and congratulate him on his unwavering commitment to Australian agriculture.”

“I also wish to sincerely thank outgoing Directors Diana Gibbs (Chair of Audit Committee) and Emma Robinson for their enormous contribution to AgriFutures during their tenure. Both Diana and Emma were integral members of the AgriFutures Audit Committee. They played a pivotal role in the development of the AgriFutures Australia Research and Innovation Strategic Plan 2022-2027 and I thank them for their dedication to ensuring we continue to grow the long-term prosperity of Australian rural industries.”

AgriFutures Australia is one of 15 Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) that service the Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) needs of Australian rural industries. They represent the research needs for 13 thriving rural industries (chicken meat, rice, honey bee and pollination, ginger, tea tree oil, pasture seeds, export fodder, thoroughbred horses, kangaroo, buffalo, deer, goat fibre and ratite), delivering research and innovation that aims to give our farmers and producers real returns, as well as prepare them to thrive into the future.