Cattle Australia has announced Garry Edwards as chair of its board of directors and extended thanks to outgoing chair, David Foote, for his foundational contribution to the organisation.
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Mr Edwards, who has served as vice chair since December 2022, is a beef producer from the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council zone, operating his enterprise in the Stroud region, south of Gloucester in NSW.
He is also the founder and major shareholder of AAM Investment Group, which oversees the development, operation and management of a portfolio of agricultural assets across Australia, with beef cattle operations in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Mr Edwards has more than 25 years experience within the Australian agribusiness sector, with expertise spanning the agricultural supply chain, including livestock breeding, growing and finishing, financing of agricultural projects, implementation of precision agriculture practices, investigation and implementation of sustainability and innovation initiatives, and developing and operating integrated agricultural businesses.
He also holds a unique skill set across multiple facets of the grass-fed cattle production supply chain, from production through to finishing, as well as a unique perspective of the challenges facing all grass-fed producers within Australia through his involvement in the modernisation and development of livestock marketing facilities throughout Victoria, NSW and QLD.
Mr Edwards paid tribute to Mr Foote.
"David has been instrumental in developing the foundation of Cattle Australia by heading our inaugural board, and we thank him for his time as CA works to deliver positive outcomes on critical issues for the grass-fed beef industry in a new era of producer-led representation," Mr Edwards said.
"Cattle Australia's mission is to be a powerful voice for the levy-paying grass-fed cattle producers of Australia, and the cattle industry will continue to benefit from David's extensive industry knowledge and experience as a member of our board."
Mr Edwards said he would prioritise providing greater transparency to cattle producers on how levy funds are allocated, proactively engaging and developing appropriate positions on key environmental matters faced by the industry and agriculture as a whole, and growing the advocacy influence of CA as the industry representative body on behalf of the largest agricultural levy-paying contributor to the Australian economy.
"There is no better time to become a member of Cattle Australia and have the opportunity to proactively support what CA is doing every day for the beef cattle industry," he said.
Central Queensland beef producer Adam Coffey has been elected as deputy chair.
Mr Coffey has lived and worked in most states and territories in Australia, including some 10 years spent in the NT and Kimberley regions working on and managing extensive beef cattle operations in the live export sector.
First published in Farm Online on February 8, 2024.
