Advisory Panel

The Leading Sheep Project Advisory Panel helps:

• Identify new opportunities and advocate for Leading Sheep
• Be a conduit for industry ownership, by seeking input from industry and responding to issues identified by industry
• Ensure that Leading Sheep can deliver on its objectives

Producer panel members say being on the Leading Sheep Project Advisory Panel is rewarding because you:

• See important issues, that you have identified, addressed
• Gain knowledge of the latest industry issues, advances and concerns
• Get involved in trailing innovative ideas
• Join open discussions with forward thinking leaders, passionate about improving the industry
• Get off farm

The panel meetings 2-3 times per year to review the project.

	Name: Jim King Role: Producer & PAP Chairperson “Willowen” Longreach Phone: 07 4658 9122 jaraa@bigpond.com	Jim and Lou King live on ‘Willowen’, they have 3 children all living away from home. Jim purchased ‘Willowen’ in 1988, 56km south of Longreach. Over this time he has focused his efforts on sheep production, in particular wool, and runs beef cattle. Jim attended a SRS workshop in 1995 and changed his sheep breeding practices. With the selection of plain bodied rams, mulesing was ceased in 2006. Since 2013, he has been selecting rams with the use of ASBVs concentrating on eye muscle depth and fat scores. He decided to join the Leading Sheep advisory panel to help solve issues that affect the wool grower in this area and throughout Queensland. For the sheep industry to be competitive Jim believes it must evolve and change with technology.
	Name: Andrea McKenzie Role: Project Leader DAF Charleville Phone: 0428 109 620 andrea.mckenzie@daf.qld.gov.au	Andrea runs a mixed grazing enterprise near Cunnamulla with her husband, trading sheep and cattle when opportunities arise, in addition to a commercial goat breeding enterprise and stud. Andrea is a registered veterinarian, working clinically in NSW and QLD, before joining the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Andrea has managed the Leading Sheep project for several years, between having children, and has enjoyed working with progressive and passionate producers in the industry. Andrea hopes to help the industry access the best information to keep improving their businesses’ profitability and sustainability.
	Name: Karen Huskisson Role: Producer “Wattle Downs” The Gums Phone: 07 4665 9129 chanzarorganics@hotmail.com	Karen has been a poll stud breeder since the age of 16 and has lived at Wattle Downs all her life. She has worked in the stud industry in Western Queensland and New South Wales. She currently breeds and sells maremma guardian dogs. She is the president of the Queensland Merino Stud Sheepbreeders’ Association (QMSSA), a councillor on the Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders Limited (AASMB), a director on AgForce Queensland’s Sheep and Wool Board and a member of the National Wild Dog implementation committee. Karen believes the whole Queensland sheep and wool industry should work cohesively to unite our industry.
	Name: David Counsell Role: Producer “Dunblane” Barcaldine Phone: 07 4651 2498 davidjcounsell@bigpond.com	David is a member of a long term wool producing family at “Dunblane”, west of Barcaldine. He believes sheep still have an important place alongside cattle in the region and is committed to improving productivity of his Merino flock. Better fleece weights and lower micron counts are being achieved through the introduction of superior genetics.
	Name: Zarettha Stedman Role: Producer Toowoomba	Zarettha started her agricultural journey 28 years ago, growing up on her family’s sheep farm in western Queensland. She studied a Bachelor of Animal Science, majoring in Livestock Nutrition. This sparked her desire to include regenerative agriculture in her studies, connecting the her passion for the land and producing high quality food and fibre for her family and the world. Her wish is that Australian farmers adapt to the changing climatic conditions and not only farm for profit but also maintain their natural resources for future generations. With Leading Sheep she hopes to support farmers that are willing to make a change and supports proactive marketing of clean/green sheep and wool.
	Name: Louise Martin Role: Producer “Macfarlane” Tambo Phone: 0427 151 234 toolmaree1@bigpond.com	Louise was born and raised in the Augathella and Tambo district on a cattle and sheep property and later married Andrew a 4th generation sheep and wool producer at Tambo. Prior to marriage Louise attended the Longreach Pastoral College achieving a Certificate in Animal Production. Whilst working on a large Merino stud at Tambo, she studied externally and completed a Batchelor of Commerce majoring in Agribusiness and Marketing. As a result Louise has realised a passion for the sheep and wool industry and all associated aspects. Recently Louise graduated from the ARLP (C27) the flagship program of The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation having been generously sponsored by AWI. Louise’s family has been active in promoting the industry by running a number of shearing schools in recent times. Their property was also recently the subject of a wider study of the benefits of cluster fencing, conducted by AWI. Louise is currently on the board of AgForce as South-west Director. In her spare time Louise is also President of Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) Australia and Immediate Past President of ICPA Queensland.
	Name: Pieter Conradie Role: DAF Representative DAF Brisbane Phone: 07 3333 5457 pieter.conradie@daf.qld.gov.au	Pieter started his career in South Africa with a background in animal production, rangeland management and extension.  He headed the pasture research division at the Dohne Research Institute and worked with the National Wool Growers Association to improve wool production systems. He was Regional Manager Pastoral Production in Alice Springs before working as an Agricultural Liaison Officer in the Northern Territory Parliament, and there after took responsibility for managing the research farms of the Northern Territory Government. Now a Regional Manager with DAF, he works with staff and other role players in the beef and sheep industry and is committed to supporting programs that enhance efficient and sustainable sheep and wool production. Pieter sees great opportunity for the sheep and wool industry and is excited to work more closely with producers.
	Name: Jaime Colley Role: AgForce Representative AgForce Brisbane Phone: 07 3236 3100 colleyj@agforce.org.au	Jaime is a current QUT student, studying a double degree in Law and Creative Industries. She was raised on a cattle and sheep property west of Texas Queensland before moving to Brisbane to complete her university studies. Jaime was a policy support officer with AgForce Queensland, before spending some time as a policy analyst with Australian Pork Ltd. She is now the Sheep, Wool and Goats Policy Director with AgForce Queensland. Jaime is a current creative resident with the YMCA, and has been published in a variety of local, national and international magazines. She is incredibly passionate about the agricultural industry and is doing her all to give back to the industry she loves.
	Name: Emily King Role: AWI National Extension Manager Dubbo Phone: 0437 523 036 emily.king@wool.com	Bio coming soon