John “Cowboy” Cameron and his son Bob, overall winners of the 2023-4 FastStart Cotton Establishment Awards’ dryland category.

• Wali new BASF Ag Solutions head
• Richardson joins AEGIC Board
• Camerons win FastStart award
• AOF seeks Goddard replacement
• Green on green director appointed
• Tuckey takes up Pac Seeds territory role
• CBRE agribusiness team grows
• New RASWA GM
• Independent reviewer named for IGAB
• Bolton named QDAF DG
• Change for Buckow
• AgriFutures’ Horizon Scholarships announced
• Murray Irrigation board positions filled

Wali new BASF Ag Solutions head

Parvana Wali has been appointed as the new head of agricultural solutions at BASF Australia and New Zealand.

Parvana Wali

She takes over from Gavin Jackson, who will be retiring from the role after eight years in the position.

Ms Wali’s experience includes 20 years at BASF, where she has held positions within performance materials and care chemicals.

She has been in agricultural solutions for the past five years as head of rotational crop, Asia Pacific, and will commence in the role on July 1, with Mr Jackson staying on until September 30 to support the transition.

“We thank Gavin for his dedication, outstanding achievements and also want to congratulate Parvana Wali on her new appointment,” BASF Australia and New Zealand managing director David Hawkins said.

“We have a highly competent and experienced successor, who has achieved excellent results for BASF during her diverse professional positions in Germany, Asia and Australia.”

Richardson joins AEGIC Board

Stuart Richardson

AEGIC has welcomed Stuart Richardson to the AEGIC Board to replace Andrew Young as the Grains Australia-nominated director.

Based in Victoria, Mr Richardson has over 30 years’ experience in the grains industry.

A former director of Grain Trade Australia and former head of trading at AWB, he developed and executed expansion strategies for AWB Limited global markets, as well as managing domestic activities.

Mr Richardson also has experience in the horticulture sector through investments in turf genetics and marketing company Turfbreed Pty Ltd which focuses grass genetics for growers in Australia, owning plant variety rights to nine turf varieties marketed and sold across Australia.

He is currently one of the leading physical grain brokers in Australia and is affiliated with the McDonald Pelz Global Commodities group globally.

Camerons win FastStart award

Darling Downs cotton grower John “Cowboy” Cameron has returned to the winners’ circle in the annual FastStart Cotton Establishment Awards as the overall winner of the dryland category.

Recognised for his excellence in crop establishment, Mr Cameron was the winner of the inaugural 2018-19 dryland category, and this time took out the award jointly with his son, Bob.

Fellow Queensland grower, Jason Sinclair, from Condamine was named the winner of the irrigated category.

Mr Cameron said the resources made available through the FastStart Cotton Program continued to be of great help in the field preparation and establishment window. 

“We didn’t have any rain until late November, by which point soil temperatures were high,” Mr Cameron said.

“We planted into standing wheat stubble, into a full-moisture profile 2cm deep, then had a shower a few days later to help with establishment.” 

Cotton Seed Distributors and Syngenta Australia, partners in the FastStart program, co-ordinate the awards as a means of encouraging attention to detail, and the use of the program’s tools that were developed to support growers in the critical first 70 days of establishment. 

AOF seeks Goddard replacement

Australian Oilseeds Federation executive officer Nick Goddard will be stepping down from his role of more than 15 years at the end of the year.

Nick Goddard

Mr Goddard has held the role alongside other grains industry positions including 15 years as the Soy Australia company secretary, and Pulse Australia chief executive officer for seven years.

Through his role with AOF, Mr Goddard is also a member of the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia Oilseeds Council, and Grain Trade Australia’s Trade and Market Access and Plant Breeding Innovation committees.

In a letter to industry members, the AOF Board said it “recognises the long and very valuable contribution that Nick has made” to the organisation.

The AOF Board is currently recruiting for a replacement for Mr Goddard.

Green on green director appointed

Nufarm’s David Keetch has been appointed as the company’s green-on-green program director to oversee research into in-crop spraying using technology under development.

David Keetch. Photo: Nufarm

The inaugural role came into effect last month, and marks a change for Mr Keetch, who joined Nufarm in 2017.

“I’ve been working in the field R&D team developing herbicides, and providing stewardship in areas such 2-4,D label changes and herbicide application,” Mr Keetch said.

“This new role aims to accelerate algorithm development through systematic large-scale image collection so that Australian farmers can effectively use camera spraying to tackle weeds in winter crops.”

Mr Keetch is based in Adelaide, and is tied to two GRDC-funded projects which wind up in 2028 and 2029.

Tuckey takes up Pac Seeds territory role

Pacific Seeds has announced the appointment of Tina Tuckey as territory manager for Dalby, Western Downs, and Goondiwindi, from May 20.

Tina Tuckey

Ms Tuckey is an agronomist and has worked in Argentina and Brazil before moving to Australia two years ago. 

She has been part of Pacific Seeds’ technical development team for the past year.

Growers may have met Ms Tuckey at the recent Foundation Farm field days or during her agronomy work in-the-field across the Southern Downs and northern New South Wales. 

Ms Tuckey is based in Toowoomba, and will be spending most of her days out and about meeting with growers, agents and agronomists across the district.

CBRE agribusiness team grows

Commercial real estate company CBRE has appointed three agribusiness professionals, James Beer, Nick Connor and Thomas Quinn, to enhance the coverage of its national agribusiness capital markets offering.

Mr Beer has been appointed senior director, while Mr Connor and Mr Quinn have been appointed senior negotiators.

All three recruits are based in Sydney, and have extensive experience in agricultural sales across all classes including livestock, cropping, dairy, and horticulture.

“These appointments further strengthen our commitment to the agribusiness sector,” CBRE head of agribusiness John Harrison said.

“Their addition will enhance the coverage of our national team, combining youth and expertise.”

Mr Beer is returning to the company and will focus on the eastern seaboard of Australia, across all agricultural properties.

Mr Connor’s will specialise in the NSW agribusiness market, focusing on cropping, livestock, horticulture, viticulture and carbon.

Mr Quinn will also cover all agribusiness property types across the eastern seaboard, with a particular focus on the Central West region of NSW.

CBRE appointments James Beer, Nick Connor and Thomas Quinn.

Hos new RASWA GM

The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia has announced the appointment of Joanna Hos as its general manager agriculture and events.

Joanna Hos

In this new role, Ms Hos will oversee delivery of the Perth Royal Show, expand commercial  opportunities for RASWA and oversee the more than 100 annual events presented at the Royal Agricultural Society in Claremont, WA.

A former recipient of the 40 Under 40 Award, Ms Hos has spent the past 11 years serving as an executive leader at ARTRAGE, an arts organisation renowned for its development and delivery of major events and activities. 

Her familial ties to farming, with her sister and brother-in-law being merino and wheat farmers in the Wheatbelt, have provided her with first-hand experience of the agricultural sector.

“As a WA local, and passionate advocate for our state, I am delighted to take on this role, which offers an incredibly exciting opportunity to help define the future of RASWA, and the iconic Perth Royal Show,” Ms Hos said.

Independent reviewer named for IGAB

Michele Allan has been appointed as the independent reviewer of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB). 

Michele Allan AO

Dr Allan was selected by the National Biosecurity Committee, Agriculture Senior Officials Committee and Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting because of her considerable knowledge and expertise. 

Dr Allan has diverse board and advocacy experience as the chair of the Boards of Charles Sturt University, Wine Australia, SmartSat CRC and Defence CRC Trusted Autonomous Systems as well as the Chair of the Advisory Council of the Australian Agrifood Data Exchange.

She is a non-executive director of CSIRO, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, MJ Chicken and, until 2008, she over 2013-14 chaired the national Wheat Export Advisory Task Force.

The IGAB is an agreement between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to strengthen the biosecurity system and enhance national collaboration among Australian governments.

Under the IGAB, an independent review of the agreement is to be carried out within five years of commencement. 

Bolton named QDAF DG

The Queensland Government has appointed Graeme Bolton as the new Director-General of its Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Graeme Bolton

Mr Bolton is a senior executive and policy professional with more than three decades of leadership experience across local, state, and international governments. 

He was the former Deputy Director-General, Fisheries and Forestry for DAF from May 2019 to November 2023 and was most recently the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Youth Justice. 

Mr Bolton has a wealth of experience across executive and leadership roles within the Queensland Government, including various deputy directors-general and senior executive positions. 

Change for Buckow

Food scientist Roman Buckow has been appointed Professor of Food Science and director of the Centre for Food Science at La Trobe University. 

Professor Buckow joins La Trobe from the University of Sydney, where he was a Professor of Practice in Food Engineering, and has also worked as a principal scientist and research manager at CSIRO and was the chief technology officer of All G Foods.

Roman Buckow

Professor Buckow specialises in sustainable food and beverage manufacture, design of new food structures and textures, alterative proteins, and the development of safe and healthy foods using advanced food processing technologies.

“I am passionate about developing healthier and more sustainable food systems and I look forward to working with the team at La Trobe to come up with some innovative solutions to complex challenges,” Professor Buckow said.

“Some of the research that we will tackle includes reducing the cost of making plant-based bioengineered foods, and how we can improve their flavour and texture,” he says. 

Professor Shaun Collin, Dean of the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, welcomed Professor Buckow to La Trobe University. 

“He will lead the establishment of a new Centre for Food Science within the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food, our world leading Agrifood research and training institute,” Professor Collin said. 

AgriFutures’ Horizon Scholarships announced

The Research and Development Corporations and industry sponsors have announced 19 scholars selected to receive a 2024 Horizon Scholarship. 

Across this two-year program, each scholar will receive a $10,000 bursary to aid with university and living expenses, attend annual four-day professional development workshops, and complete two weeks of industry work placements each year within their sponsors industry. 

AgriFutures Australia managing director John Harvey congratulated each of the 19 scholars on being announced as part of the 2024 Horizon Scholarship cohort. 

“Selected from across Australia, each scholar demonstrated exceptional drive, commitment, and passion for the future of Australia’s rural industries and communities,” Mr Harvey said. 

The program will kick off in July 2024 with the Horizon workshop Wagga Wagga during the AgriFutures Stakeholder Summit.

Murray Irrigation board positions filled

Murray Irrigation has appointed Geoff McLeod, Gabrielle Coupland, Leanne Small and Noel Graham to the company’s Board.

“We received nine applications for the vacant positions, which included both member and non-member applications,” chair Phil Snowden said.

“We feel confident this merit-based approach to the Director selection process will bring value and stability to the Board and the company.

“These four talented individuals will each bring an outstanding set of skills, and we look forward to working together as a Board to achieve the best possible outcomes for the company, shareholders, customers and the broader community.”

The first official meeting of the new Board was held on 20 May.

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