Two Solid Additions to Food & Fibre Board of Directors

11 Dec

Written By Food and Fibre Great South Coast

Food & Fibre Great South Coast’s Annual General Meeting this week celebrated a year of solid progress and new initiatives focused on growing the value of the agricultural sector in our region. The occasion also saw the addition of two new directors whose skills and experience will ensure the organisation continues its forward-thinking momentum and advocacy for the sector.

Chair Oonagh Kilpatrick, who was re-elected unopposed, welcomed David Allen and Stephen Rafferty to the organisation, noting the duo brings with them a combination of hands-on production and agribusiness experience.

“We are absolutely delighted with the appointment of David and Stephen to our Board of Directors, each bringing with them a strong set of skills and experience that will serve our organisation well into the future” Ms Kilpatrick said.

Mr Rafferty is an accomplished agribusiness professional with over 35 years’ experience in rural finance, sustainability strategy, and regenerative agriculture. A former senior banker with Commonwealth Bank’s Specialised Agribusiness Solutions division, now leading innovative circular-economy and soil-health initiatives with Ocean2Earth and Red Dirt Fert, he combines deep financial literacy, governance awareness, and a lifetime connection to regional Australia.

Mr Allen is a third generation beef producer who has been operating his family property “Boorook’ near Mortlake for the past 50 years, now sharing responsibility with his son Nick. As a business, they are focusing on reducing their carbon emissions by improving livestock efficiency through genetics, nutrition and health; carbon sequestration via pasture management, reducing fossil fuel requirements and investing in renewable energy.

Their work with environmental management and animal welfare has led them to be nominated as one of McDonalds’ Flagship Farms – the only one in Australia and amongst about 40 scattered around the world.

“David and Stephen bring with them a focus on long-term, sustainable, innovative and profitable practices as well as experience in governance, all cornerstones of our organisation,” Ms Kilpatrick said.

In addition to Ms Kilpatrick as Chair, Jessica Mitchell, Livestock Supply Chain Manager for Australian beef processor Greenham, and Aaron Moyne, Director of Infrastructure Services at Glenelg Shire Council, were elected joint Deputy Chair, with Rhonda Henry, Westpac Agribusiness, re-elected Treasurer.