National Beef Leaders 2025 cohort announced at Cattle Connect

Media Releases

National Beef Leaders 2025 cohort announced at Cattle Connect.

Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Cattle Australia (CA) has announced its 2025 National Beef Leaders (NBL) participants, chosen for their potential to become the next generation of skilled and capable captains of industry.

Seven candidates from across Australia have been selected for the NBL program, which focuses on attracting and retaining exceptional people and empowering them to become leaders of the grass-fed beef industry.

CA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said the high calibre of the cohort was proof the future of the beef industry would be in safe hands.

“These young people have already proven they are capable, focused and committed to the beef industry, and were chosen for their experience in a range of fields, including data management, genomics, animal welfare and mentoring secondary students for careers in agriculture,” Dr Parker said.

“Over 2025, they will undertake a leadership and personal development program, including multiple face-to-face sessions, CA and Government engagement, a regional tour, and training in public speaking, policy formation, negotiating, and media.

“By developing innovative leaders who bring a fresh attitude to new challenges, we are securing a strong and sustainable future for the grass-fed beef industry.”

The 2025 National Beef Leaders are:

Hannah Gibb, Operations Manager, Nbryo Pty Ltd, Queensland
Timothy Mitchell, Livestock Procurement Manager, Drury Farming Co, Queensland
Eliza Gray, Innovation Projects Officer, Australian Agricultural Company, Queensland
Samuel Martin, Stud Principal, Southcote Shorthorns, NSW
Hannah Powe, NSW Genomics Territory Manager, Neogen Australasia, NSW
Tom Taheny, Farm Manager, Naracoorte, SA
Billi Marshall, Director, Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, WA

Cattle Australia’s NBL program is the grass-fed beef industry’s flagship leadership program, designed for people aged between 21 and 35 years who are established in their careers and ready to take the next step in leadership and advocacy.

It is judged on the following criteria:

Capacity to represent the Australian beef industry and CA
Leadership capacity, in presentation and in conduct, over the course of the program
Beef industry knowledge
Presentation skills

The program participants will be officially acknowledged at CA’s inaugural producer day, Cattle Connect 2024, to be held at Bective Station, Tamworth, NSW, on Thursday, November 21.

Further information on the 2025 National Beef Leaders:

New South Wales:

Hannah Powe is NSW Genomics Territory Manager for Neogen Australasia and also owns Goondoola Livestock, producing stud and commercial Angus and Red Angus cattle on the Central Tablelands. A former livestock editor of The Land newspaper, Hannah has been an Australian beef industry ambassador in several international forums in the US and Canada, and was selected for exchange programs including the University of Illinois Scholarship, Angus Australia Trans-Tasman Exchange, and the Texas A&M Exchange. She is interested in how genetic selection can contribute to more sustainable practices that help to optimise efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Samuel Martin has 20 years’ experience in the beef industry which includes roles in farming, stock and station agency, and corporate agriculture. Based at Walcha, NSW, he and his wife Jodie run the Southcote Shorthorn Stud in conjunction with a large-scale trading and backgrounding enterprise. As the Technical Director for Shorthorn Beef, Samuel was responsible for rolling out Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) to members, and developed a paddock to plate carcase project with a range of industry partners. Samuel’s key areas of interest are providing greater access to whole herd performance recording for commercial producers, and young farmer livestock lending, to provide opportunities for cashflow for people without beef cattle enterprises.

Queensland:

Hannah Gibb is a third generation seedstock producer employed as Operations Manager for Nbryo, a company seeking to transform beef and dairy production systems globally through a platform of technologies that enable a new breeding system through the in vitro production of bovine embryos. In her former role with AA Co, Hannah spent four years managing complex systems across the supply chain, including supply and operational planning, feedlot forecasting and processing schedules, internal feedlot cattle movements and flows, feedlot commodity usage and purchasing. She sees a need for better data system development and integration across both the grass and grain-fed beef industries. Hannah is currently co-ordinator for NZ Hereford Youth (remotely) and NZ Team Manager for the 2025 World Hereford Conference Young Breeder Competition in the US.

Timothy Mitchell is the Livestock Procurement Manager for Drury Farming Company, responsible for procurement of all cattle from paddock to hook. Timothy enjoys working with many different stakeholders to build a stronger supply chain and the challenge of producing a consistent beef product 365 days of the year. His current goal is to take the Condabri feed yard from 15,000SCU to 35,000SCU. He is passionate about animal welfare and looks to constantly improve the wellbeing of all animals, including cattle, horses ridden in the feedlot and dogs used for mustering. Timothy’s previous experience included working his way up to head stockman on a station in the Kimberley region, and completing a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) at Marcus Oldham College.

Eliza Gray is Innovation Projects Officer for AA Co, and has been involved in projects including the first large-scale, long-fed Asparagopsis trial in Wagyu feeder cattle. She oversees AA Co’s Animal Health and Wellbeing Extension and Adoption Partnership with MLA, and believes there is a lot to be gained from identifying and reducing barriers to adopting innovative practices in the northern beef industry. For the past four years, Eliza has mentored Year 12 students interested in pursuing careers in ag science, northern beef production, and large animal veterinary science, to ensure the next generation of female leaders in the beef industry.

South Australia:

Tom Taheny is Farm Manager for the Western District Pastoral Company’s property, Maranoa Downs, at Naracoorte, which joins a large number of Angus females annually. He was raised on his family’s cropping and livestock farm before completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide and managing southern operations for an Angus and Santa Gertrudis stud at Lucindale. Tom has been selected for several leadership positions including the 2023 GenAngus Future Leaders Program and 2022 Australian Wool Innovation Breeding Leadership Course. Tom was a participant on Adelaide University’s live cattle export tour of northern Australian facilities and Indonesian feedlots, abattoirs and wet markets. His key areas of interest are ensuring the sustainability of markets; shrinking the gap between farmgate and supermarket prices; and on farm productivity, including cow production efficiency.

Western Australia:

Billi Marshall started her own business, Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, at the age of 25 after working in broadacre cropping and gaining accreditation as an authorised pregnancy tester specialising in reproduction. She delivers services including AI, semen testing and herd management to clients ranging over an area of 2500km, and in 2023, pregnancy tested 34,000 head of cattle. Billi is an experienced exhibitor and judge of stud cattle, and was the 2020 Angus Australia Trans-Tasman Scholarship recipient. She is currently President of the WA Youth Cattle Association and is keenly interested in the evolution of data management and technology for producers, to enable them to make better informed decisions.

ENDS

IMAGES:

Image one: The Cattle Australia National Beef Leaders 2025 participants – Samuel Martin, Billi Marshall, Tom Taheny, Eliza Gray, Timothy Mitchell and Hannah Powe.

*Please note: Hannah Gibb was absent from the group photo at this time.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Stacey Wordsworth
stacey.wordsworth@bluehillagency.com.au
0438 394 371

Michael Thomson
michael.thomson@bluehillagency.com.au
0408 819 666

Garry Edwards

Managing Director and CEO, Maureen Pastoral Company

Garry was born and raised on a commercial beef cattle property south of Gloucester in New South Wales. Garry has personal cattle production interests in this region today as well as his corporate role as the Managing Director and CEO of AAM, a business that has a significant focus in continuing to expand beyond our cattle production interests in Central West NSW, near Forbes and Bective Station near Tamworth, NSW.

Garry has over 25 years’ experience in large scale livestock production management within the Australian agribusiness sector. His experience spans across a vast array of areas of the agricultural supply chain and includes managing businesses involved in 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.

In 2007, Garry founded the company that today is AAM, commencing the development, operation and management of a portfolio of agricultural assets valued at $887 million and he remains the major shareholder of AAM.

Garry has 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 Queensland.

George King

Managing Director, The Whitney Pastoral Co and Manager, "Coombing Park"

George is a seventh generation Australian farmer, currently managing his family property which they have held since 1880. George operates an Angus breeding and finishing operation joining 1,500 cows per year, with a low-cost model turning off steers at feeder weights and direct sales of females.

George has long been on a regenerative agriculture path as it was the only way he could see to renovate their property 25 years ago without employed equity or working capital, which at the time they didn’t have. He continues with this model as it provides outstanding cost containments, continued production and profitability.

George is married with four (4) children, Harry 24, Emma 22, Dave 15 and Tom 13. He also enjoys flying and has his pilot’s license.

George is also a Founding Director of The Wellness House and a Founding Director of ONFARM CO. He has a strong voluntary involvement with his community including as the NSW Rural Fire Services Senior Dept Capt. and Chairman of St Paul’s Carcoar.

Bryce Camm

Grazier, camm agricultual group

Bryce Camm hails from Dalby in Queensland’s Darling Downs region where he oversees his family’s company Camm Agricultural Group; an integrated beef and cropping enterprise with interests across Queensland.

Bryce has been CEO of the group for the past eight years. Prior to that he was the Manager of the group’s award winning Wonga Plains Feedlot for eight years where he oversaw the operation triple in size. Growing up on “Natal Downs” Station in north Queensland Bryce undertook a dual degree in Business Administration and Communications at Bond University and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program as well as the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Bryce is currently the Chairman of Beef Australia Ltd and the Immediate Past President of the Australian Lot Feeders Council, as well as a previous Director of the Red Meat Advisory Council.

Elke Cleverdon

Owner and Director, Cleverdon Agriculture - Grass Fed Black Angus

Elke is an experienced non-executive director in the agriculture and customer-owned banking sector with a passion for member-centric organisations. She brings a grower perspective, coupled with her genuine drive to elevate the industry through innovation. She was selected to the National Farmers’ Federation ‘Diversity in Ag Leadership’ 2022, among 12 women nationally.

Elke has a broad background in the agricultural industry as a producer and rural financial coach across regional NSW, challenging business models and production systems for growers across a wide range of commodities. Elke has been a joint owner and director of a broadacre family cattle property at Harden, NSW, since 1993. Cleverdon Ag raises and trades black Angus cattle.

Elke brings a wealth of financial, risk management and governance experience. Her current non-executive director roles include Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA), Murrumbidgee Health (NSW Health) and SWS Bank (a regional financial institution in NSW).

Some of her many strengths include a strong focus on strategy, risk and a triple bottom line while chairing large-scale audit and risk committees.

Elke is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow CPA, and holds a Master of Business Administration focused in marketing, finance, business strategy and leadership. Her critical thinking and business acumen after 16 years’ experience as an executive in customer-owned banking and the past eight years as a Rural Financial Coach, makes her an ideal candidate seeking to advance producers’ long-term best interests in a fair and strong supply chain.

David Foote

Director - Tandarra Partners

Nominated by: Peter Hall, Troy Setter, Bryce Camm, David Hill, Adam Coffey

For the past 45 years, David has held rural property management, executive and senior management positions across all mainland states in areas of; beef cattle & sheep breeding, growing and lot feeding, meat retailing, small seed growing, irrigated fodder, and the further processing and exporting of primary products such as meat, grain and fodder.

His export experiences which started in 1989 included a role with Stanbroke Pastoral Company to help develop Stanbroke’ s Live cattle export program. Additionally, David managed the integration of Bottle Tree feedlot grain feeding in the production system while developing and launching their now globally recognised Diamantina beef brand.

David has been in a leadership role at the Lee Family’s, Australian Country Choice group of Companies since 1999 and progressed in that time from General Manager Properties & Livestock to Group Managing Director until stepping back in December 2020 from a full time role to a strategic advisory and board role.

Headquartered in Brisbane and employing over 1,400 staff across 42 operations, Australian Country Choice (ACC) operates Australia’s largest vertically integrated beef supply chain; encompassing cattle breeding, cattle growing and feedlotting to supply its integrated food processing facility in Brisbane that incorporates beef slaughter, beef boning, value-adding and case ready beef packing.

ACC’s cattle property portfolio of around 4 million acres in Queensland & NSW encompasses operations from the Barkly Tableland, CQ coalfields, Carnarvon ranges, Augathella, Blackall, Roma, and Moonie districts of Queensland, with a carrying capacity of 300,000 head. of cattle to support the Company’s 3 feedlots.

Additionally, David represents Agricultural & Cattle industry interests in his role as; Non-Government member Australia Indonesia Red Meat & Cattle Partnership, member SmartSat CRC, member Cattle Australia -Policy Council, member Australian Meat Industry Council -China & Halal Trade Groups, Chair Workplace Health & Safety Queensland -Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee, Deputy Chair Laguna Bay Pastoral investment committee and Board Member lnventia Genetic Technologies (IGT).

Away from work David has a small cattle property in the Mt Kilcoy (Qld) district running Charolais & Charbray breeders to the delight of his four grandchildren.

David wishes to continue into a second term to help build a strong and successful Cattle Australia to represent the interest of all cattle producers

Member Login

Feedback

National Beef Leaders 2025 cohort announced at Cattle Connect.

About us

News

FAQs

Contact us

Search.