Candidates line up for Dairy Australia board

There are two vacancies for milk producers and one agribusiness, innovation and change management place.

Fish Creek, south Gippsland, dairy farmer Graeme Nicoll is not restanding for election.

Current directors Roseanne Healy and Tania Luckin, as well as Paul Roderick, were nominated by Dairy Australia for the positions and will need to garner at least 50 per cent of the votes at its AGM.

Stock & Land is aware of at least two more people, David Beca and Phil Ryan, who are canvassing Group A DA members for the 100 signatures they need 5pm August 31 to mount challenges.

Chair of Dairy Australia's Board Selection Committee, Professor Paul Wood said there had been strong interest from candidates, with 88 applications.

David Beca is one of those seeking signatures to support his application, after being declined by the selection committee.

He owns software business, Red Sky Agricultural, which provides performance analysis and benchmarking tools for farming businesses in a number of countries.

Mr Beca said his focus would be on reversing the reductions in profitability and national milk production linked to increases in cost of production across all states in Australia.

Bega Valley, NSW, dairy farmer Phil Ryan is also chasing signatures to contest the election.

Mr Ryan said he had used his high profile on social media to send the message that the dairy industry does not simply need drought support, but also true industry reform and greater engagement from industry bodies with farmers.

A member of the NSW Farmers' Association, and Dairy Connect, Mr Ryan is a member of the NSW Farmers' Dairy Committee, serving as its representative on the NSW Safe Foods Dairy Industry Consultative Committee, and the NSW Dairy Industry Advisory Panel.

Mr Ryan was employed for over 10 years in IT project management, primarily in internet banking.

DA nominated sitting director Roseanne Healy has been nominated to fill the agribusiness, innovation and change management director vacancy for a second term.

Ms Healy is currently Grains Research and Development Corporation deputy chair, an Airborne Research Australia Limited director, chair of Dairysafe, and is a former director of AgriFutures Australia.

Ms Luckin has operated dairy enterprises for the past 23 years and runs a family dairy farm in Heywood, south-west Victoria.

She also has experience as a Bonlac Supply Company director, WestVic Dairy Regional Development Program board member and as a member of the Dairy Industry Advocacy Review Team.

Paul Roderick, who has run his family dairy farm at Harrisville, south-east Queensland, for the last 27 years, is standing for the first time.

Currently Subtropical Dairy chair, Mr Roderick was a Premium Milk Ltd director for 11 years and is a member of the Australian Dairy Conference board.

Professor Wood highlighted that levy paying farmers need to register as Members of Dairy Australia in order to participate in Director elections: "We encourage all levy payers to register as Members of Dairy Australia in order to vote. It's an easy process and information is available via our website (dairyaustralia.com.au/members) or by calling our Memberline T: 1800 004 377."