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GRDC Panels 2008 - 2011
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GRDC Regional Panel Membership (2008-2011) |
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| North | South | West | ||
| James Clark* | David Shannon* | Neil Young* | ||
| Bill Yates | Andy Barr | Ralph Burnett | ||
| David Freebairn | Chris Blanchard | Anna Butcher | ||
| Richard Heath | John Crosbie | Merrie Carlshausen | ||
| Penny Heuston | Merna Curnow | David Fienberg | ||
| Jodi McLean | John Harvey | Tracey Gianatti | ||
| John Sheppard^ | Richard Konzag | Frances Hoyle | ||
| Rob Taylor | Allan Mayfield | Vince Logan | ||
| Mark Peoples^ | Richard Oliver^ | |||
| Andrew Rice | Peter Roberts | |||
| Peter Schwarz | ||||
| Gavin Whiteley | ||||
* Denotes Chair
^ Denotes Deputy Chair
Please find below the GRDC Panel biographies
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Northern Region Characteristics
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| Name: | Mr James Clark |
| Town: | Hunter Valley, NSW |
| Biography: | James lives in NSW’s Hunter Valley and brings his extensive farming experience in the North Star area of northern NSW, plus his skills in development, investment and irrigation to the panel. James is a member of the NSW Standing Committee on Wheat, chair of the grains research, development and extension committee of NSW Farmers and is a member of the north-western NSW Regional Advisory Committee. |
| Photos: | James Clark |
| Name: | Dr David Freebairn |
| Town: | Fortitude Valley, Qld |
| Biography: | David trained as a soil scientist after a farming upbringing on the south west slopes of NSW. His professional career took him to the black soils of the Darling Downs where he explored impacts of tillage/stubble practices on runoff, soil erosion and crop performance. The challenges of dealing with experimental results in such variable climates led to the development of computer simulation models to make sense of this erratic data. He has also developed several simple software and learning packages for communicating soil management principles and likes to think he can get a simple explanation for most things! His current research interests include movement of nutrients and chemicals in the environment. David is currently employed as an environmental scientist with Natural Solutions in Brisbane. |
| Photos: | David Freebairn |
| Name: | Mr Richard Heath |
| Town: | Milroy, NSW |
| Biography: | Richard manages the cropping enterprise of a family farm near Gunnedah on the Liverpool Plains. Durum wheat is the farms main source of income however, bread wheat, barley, faba beans, canola, sorghum, corn and sunflowers are also grown as well an expanding cattle business being operated. Richard travelled on a Nuffield Scholarship in 2003 looking at nitrogen use efficiency and has as a result retained a major interest in precision agriculture looking at variable rate nitrogen inputs and canopy management techniques. |
| Photos: | Richard Heath |
| Name: | Ms Penny Heuston |
| Town: | Warren, NSW |
| Biography: | Penny is a graduate of Sydney Uni. She has been an Agronomist in the central west for the last 14 years originally as a re-seller Agronomist then with the Coonamble farming co-op and in 2003 started Heuston Agronomy services. The business aims to give independent advice to farmers in the Tottenham/Nyngan/Warren/Gilgandra areas to suit the clients differing farming systems. She is passionate about the survival of the family farming unit and seeing farms return to profitable businesses. This will be a continuing challenge with input costs, the unstable economic climate and changing weather patterns. |
| Photos: | Penny Heuston Penny Heuston Action |
| Name: | Mrs Jodi McLean |
| Town: | Georgetown, NSW |
| Biography: | Jodi has worked for over 15 years in agricultural research and development (R&D), mainly in Australian grain quality. She runs a free-lancing agricultural consultancy business, specialising in advice on grain quality, facilitation and agricultural R&D. She was Technical Research Manager for GrainCorp Operations Ltd and Research Program Coordinator for Weeds, Disease, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology for the CRDC. She received the AFFA Science and Innovation Award (2003) and Wheat Research foundation Award, University of Sydney (2005) and attended the GRDC Research Horizons Program for Future Leaders (2006-07). Jodi has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons) University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, a Graduate Certificate in Management University of Wollongong and Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. Recent roles include member of the NW NSW Rural Advisory Committee and Committee Member of the Royal Australia Chemical Institute, Cereal Chemistry Division |
| Photos: | Jodi McLean |
| Name: | Mr John Sheppard |
| Town: | QDPI, Qld |
| Biography: | John is principal plant breeder at the Leslie Research Centre, Toowoomba, Queensland. He is responsible for the field evaluation and selection of germplasm suitable for the Northern region. He is particularly interested in genotype by environment interaction and the preservation of genetic resources. |
| Photos: | John Sheppard |
| Name: | Mr Rob Taylor |
| Town: | Macalister, Qld |
| Biography: | Rob is a full time farmer at Macalister (Darling Downs). He is the Chair of the Darling Downs RAC, Director of Condamine Alliance CMA, Southern Qld Farming Systems Steering Committee member and Steering Committee BYMP Grains Qld member. Grain Production concentrating on soil health and sustainability. |
| Photos: | Rob Taylor Rob Taylor Action |
| Name: | Mr Bill Yates |
| Town: | Garah, NSW |
| Biography: | Bill operates the family farm north west of Moree in northern NSW. He produces chickpeas, faba beans, wheat, barley, sorghum as well as producing beef, sheep meat and wool. |
| Photos: | Bill Yates |
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Southern Region Characteristics
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| Name: | Mr David Shannon |
| Town: | Kapunda, SA |
| Biography: | David is a broadacre farmer from Kapunda, SA. His farming operation comprises grain production and sheep for wool and meat. He was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 1987. David was the founding chairman of the Australian Durum Industry Association and he is an R&D committee member. |
| Photos: | David Shannon |
| Name: | Prof Andrew (Andy) Barr |
| Town: | Pinery, SA |
| Biography: | Andrew was a plant breeder from 1977–2003 having bred oats (SARDI/SA Dept. Agriculture), barley (University of Adelaide) and wheat (AGT). His varieties have been widely planted in SA, Victoria and NSW and include Echidna, Wallaroo and Marloo oats and Sloop SA, Keel, Maritime, Fleet, Flagship and Capstan barley. Since 2003 Andrew has also managed the family farm in the Lower North of SA, growing wheat, malt and feed barley, export hay, canola and pulses. Andrew is currently on the board of ABB Grain Ltd and CIMMYT. |
| Photos: | Andrew Barr Andrew Barr Action |
| Name: | Dr Chris Blanchard |
| Town: | Charles Sturt University - Wagga Wagga, NSW |
| Biography: | Dr Chris Blanchard is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University. His qualifications include an Honours Degree in Applied Science, a PhD in Molecular Biology as well as qualifications in teaching and management. Chris is also a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program. His research experience includes projects in areas such as genetically engineering virus resistance, food science, phylogenetic analysis and human genetic diseases. Chris has recently served as the Chair of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Cereal Chemistry Division. |
| Photos: | Chris Blanchard Chris Blanchard Action |
| Name: | Mr John Crosbie |
| Town: | Sunbury, Vic |
| Biography: | John Crosbie is a supply chain, logistics and change management consultant from Victoria, who has more than 15 years general management experience in business strategy, operations and logistics management with a global commodity marketing business. He has held national positions in supply chain management, having responsibility for negotiating and managing the delivery of transport and logistics services for export grain movements. Over his long career in the grains industry, John has held positions where he was responsible for the management of a wheat product research program; management of a commercial grain testing laboratory; and the quality assurance programme for wheat exports. He has also played key roles in developing and communicating business strategy and in managing complex stakeholder relationships. John has been a Director of Quality Wheat CRC, Graingene and Export Grain Logistics P/L. |
| Photos: | John Crosbie |
| Name: | Mrs Merna Curnow |
| Town: | Laanecoorie, Vic |
| Biography: |
A partner in a mixed farming business that produces grain and prime lamb, Merna lives at Laanecoorie in Central Victoria. Merna has been Vice President of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Grains Council, Chairman of the VFF Education Committee, was the inaugural Chairman of the National Partners in Grain Project and is a member of the Grains Industry Training Network. She has a background in education and a passion for agriculture. Merna is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and in 2003 was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to the promotion and recognition of women in primary and rural industry. |
| Photos: | Merna Curnow |
| Name: | Mr John Harvey |
| Town: | GRDC |
| Biography: | John is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a director of Australian Crop Accreditation System Limited and a Director of the Value Added Wheat CRC (VAWCRC). He is on the management boards of Pulse Breeding Australia, and the National Soybean Breeding Program. He is also a member of the Australian Winter Cereals Pre-breeders Alliance. John joined the GRDC in November 1997 as Program Manager Farming Systems. He became Manager R&D Programs in 2001. John’s background is in agricultural extension, and research, development and extension (RD&E) management. He previously worked with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries in Kingaroy, Queensland, where he was responsible for a range of programs dealing with pulse breeding, stored grains, sustainable cropping systems and extension services. |
| Photos: | John Harvey |
| Name: | Mr Richard Konzag |
| Town: | Mallala, SA |
| Biography: | Richard has been a grain grower at Mallala (lower north of SA) for 27 years (age 44 years). He is currently cropping approximately 4000 acres (1650ha) to wheat, durum, barley, beans, lentils, canola and hay. He also serves on the SA Advisory Board of Agriculture (Executive) and Chairs the “Achieving an informed and supportive Government” working group. He represents the A.B.A. on various other forums and committees. |
| Photos: | Richard Konzag |
| Name: | Dr Allan Mayfield |
| Town: | Clare, SA |
| Biography: | Allan is a cropping consultant in the mid-North of South Australia. As well as providing crop production advice to clients individually he facilitates interaction through FM500 groups and local, interstate and overseas study tours for clients. Allan is also a member of the Southern Precision Agriculture Association and has a special interest in variable rate crop management. Allan worked in plant pathology research and then in crop protection for the SA Department of Agriculture for a total of 20 years. His field work includes a long association with the Hart Fieldsite Group and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2002 to study high yielding wheat production in Europe and New Zealand. |
| Photos: | Allan Mayfield |
| Name: | Dr Mark Peoples |
| Town: | CSIRO, ACT |
| Biography: | Mark is a plant physiologist/agronomist based at CSIRO Plant Industry in Canberra. His research interests include quantifying the above and below ground rotational benefits of legumes, evaluating the production and environmental implications of strategies aimed at reducing the risk of developing dryland salinity or overcoming sub-soil constraints to root growth and managing soil nitrogen and water for more sustainable and profitable mixed farming systems. Mark is also currently Deputy Chief for CSIRO Plant Industry. |
| Photos: | Mark Peoples |
| Name: | Mr Andrew Rice |
| Town: | Parkes, NSW |
| Biography: | Andrew is an agricultural consultant in Parkes, NSW with over 13 years experience in the provision of integrated technical and financial advice to farmer clients in Central West NSW. In addition, Andrew has been a member of consulting teams that have completed a number of significant natural resource management projects. Andrew is also an active member in a mixed farming business in Cookamidgera, NSW. While the majority of Andrew’s experience in agriculture has been gained from his consultancy and farming pursuits, he has also worked as a Sales Agronomist (CRT, Parkes) and a Natural Resource Management Officer (former NSW Agriculture, Forbes). |
| Photos: | Andrew Rice Andrew Rice Action |
| Name: | Mr Peter Schwarz |
| Town: | Naringaningalook, Vic |
| Biography: | Peter is an irrigation farmer at Naringaningalook and is involved in various industry bodies including as Chairman of the Victorian Irrigated Cropping Council, Deputy Chair of the Goulburn Murray Landcare Network, forum member and ex-treasurer of the Irrigated Cropping Forum. His interests are natural resource management and water management. |
| Photos: | Peter Schwarz |
| Name: | Mr Gavin Whiteley |
| Town: | GRDC |
| Biography: | Gavin has a strong background in agribusiness, having previously held executive level roles in the beef, cotton and chicken-meat industries. Prior to joining the GRDC, Gavin was Regional General Manager—Riverina, with Bartter Enterprises, based at Griffith New South Wales. He holds an honours degree in Agricultural Economics and an Associate Diploma in Farm Management. He is a member of CPA Australia and a graduate of the Company Directors Course and the Australian Rural Leadership Program. |
| Photos: | Gavin Whiteley |
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Western Region Characteristics
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| Name: | Mr Neil Young |
| Town: | Kojonup, WA |
| Biography: | Neil has farmed at Kojonup for many years, and taken a leading role in developing no-till farming in West Australia. He is currently Chair of the Western Panel of GRDC, a member of the UWA Institute of Agriculture External Advisory Board and a member of the Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI) board. He is a former President of Western Australian No-Till farming Association (WANTFA) and a former member of the State Salinity Council. |
| Photos: | Neil Young |
| Name: | Mr Ralph Burnett |
| Town: | Albany, WA |
| Biography: | Ralph’s career began with nine years in PNG as a plant pathologist and a commercial pilot. He has worked in the WA wheat belt since 1970 as a ground spraying contractor, researcher for a major chemical manufacturer, a private contract researcher, and a specialist crop protection consultant. He has served on the Board of Kondinin Group, and the Agriculture Protection Board of WA. His special interests are application technology and flight instruction. |
| Photos: | Ralph Burnett |
| Name: | Mrs Anna Butcher |
| Town: | Brookton, WA |
| Biography: | Anna is an active partner in a mixed farming property in Brookton WA, producing grain, export hay and sheep for meat and wool. She has a background in secondary education in the fields of mathematics, science, agriculture and gifted education. Anna is a graduate of the AICD and the Australian Rural Leadership Program. |
| Photos: | Anna Butcher Anna Butcher Action |
| Name: | Mrs Merrie Carlshausen |
| Town: | Wubin, WA |
| Biography: | Merrie comes from a broadacre cereal, legume and sheep farm in the north eastern wheatbelt of WA. She comes with a background of capacity building through group work and extensive exprerience in group process and dynamics. Merrie is involved in the coordination of collaborative grower driven trials and extension. She is also involved with farm business strategic and succession planning. |
| Photos: | Merrie Carlshausen |
| Name: | Mr David Fienberg |
| Town: | Bicton, WA |
| Biography: | David is the Senior Operations Manager, Supply Chain Quality at the Metro Grain Centre and is the Chair and Executive Director of Australasian Lupin Processing P/L. |
| Photos: | David Fienberg David Fienberg Action |
| Name: | Ms Tracey Gianatti |
| Town: | University of Western Australia, WA |
| Biography: | Tracey is the Project Leader for the Grower Group Alliance project and is based at the University of Western Australia in Perth. In this GRDC funded project, the GGA supports a network of over 40 grower groups across the WA wheatbelt and aims to provide grower groups with expended networking capacity and greater involvement in collaborative projects with other grower groups, industry partners and the wider research community. Tracey has a BSc (Agriculture) with 1st class honours, and a Graduate Diploma in Rural Systems Management. She has 10 years experience in facilitation and working with grower groups. Her professional interests include farming systems and the role for extension, together with grower decision making and its impact on adoption of new technology. She is the WA regional coordinator for the Australasia Pacific Extension Network. |
| Photos: | Tracey Gianatti Tracey Gianatti Action |
| Name: | Dr Frances (Fran) Hoyle |
| Town: | DAFWA, WA |
| Biography: | Frances is a Research Scientist MSc (Agriculture, PhD (Soil Biology) DAFWA. Her professional interests include resource use efficiency, soil/root/plant interactions, soil organic carbon turnover, biological functioning of soils, production, farming systems and the communication of research outcomes. |
| Photos: | Frances Hoyle |
| Name: | Mr Vince Logan |
| Town: | GRDC |
| Biography: | Vince joined the GRDC in 1996 as Business Manager after 17 years in finance and marketing roles in the petroleum industry. He is a CPA and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was appointed Executive Manager, Business Development in 1991 and to his current position of Executive Manager, New Products in 2004. He is currently serving on the boards of Philom Bios Australia Pty Ltd and Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd. |
| Photos: | Vince Logan |
| Name: | Prof Richard Oliver |
| Town: | Murdoch University, WA |
| Biography: | Richard is a scientist and research manager with expertise in biochemistry, genetics and genomics as applied to problems in plant pathology and plant breeding. He has 30 years research experience in the UK, Denmark and Australia, working in universities (Bristol, University of East Anglia UK and Murdoch), research institutes (Carlsberg Laboratory and John Innes) and industry (Zeneca, now Syngenta). He arrived in Australia in 2000 to set up the ACNFP. Current work involves understanding the mechanism of pathogenicity of Stagonospora (Septoria) nodorum, mapping genes for resistance to legume pathogens in the model species Medicago truncatula, generating usable genetics maps in crop legumes and enhancing the sustainability of fungicides. |
| Photos: | Richard Oliver Richard Oliver Action |
| Name: | Mr Peter Roberts | |
| Town: | Ravensthorpe, WA | |
| Biography: | Peter is a farmer from Dunn Rock (50km SW Lake King) farming 3,000ha focussed on cereal production. A former president of South East Premium Wheatgrowers Association (SEPWA), Peter is currently a member of the Western Region Barley Council. He is passionate about R&D and believes that innovation is the key to productivity and sustainability. | |
| Photos: | Peter Roberts Peter Roberts Action |
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