THE GRAINS Research and Development Corporation has appointed its three regional panels, with 12 new members across the three panels.
The Northern, Southern and Western Panels are now set for the next two years, with the new panels commencing duties on September 1.
On the southern panel there are three new appointments, two from South Australia and one from NSW.
The new appointments are Fiona Marshall from Mulwala in the Southern Riverina; Richard Murdoch from Warooka on SA’s Yorke Peninsula; and Randall Wilksch who is based at Yeelanna on SA’s lower Eyre Peninsula.
The major shake-up came on the northern panel, where there are six newcomers.
Incoming panellists include Liverpool Plains senior agronomist Peter McKenzie, central Queensland senior agronomist Graham Spackman, Riverina district grower Roy Hamilton, Parkes district grower Bruce Watson, West Wyalong grower Roger Bolte and southern Queensland research pathologist and private consultant Jo White.
In the west, new members are Fiona Gibson, a grower at Mingenew, agronomist Michael Lamond and Binnu grower Rohan Ford.
GRDC chairman John Woods welcomed the new panellists and paid tribute to those departing.
“The regional panels are a key strength of the GRDC, they play a critical advisory and strategic role in informing GRDC investments in research, development and extension (RD&E) to create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers,” Mr Woods said.