GRAIN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA APPOINTS NEW INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBER

Grain Producers Australia has today announced the appointment of Kristy McSweeney to its Board.

This appointment is part of an ongoing renewal process for Australia’s peak grains industry advocacy organisation that has recently appointed Northern Region Director and Moree grain grower Matthew Madden as Chair.

Mr Madden said Ms McSweeney would be an asset to the Board as it embarks on a new era of representing grain growers across Australia in a time of changing agricultural policy and regulation.

“Kristy has a long history of working in regional news and at the highest level of agricultural and trade policy in Federal Government and her experience will be invaluable to us as an organisation, and to our members as we face a number of policy, trade and geopolitically driven economic challenges," he said.

“I personally, together with Deputy Chair Mark Schilling and the rest of the Board, welcome Kristy to our organisation.”

Ms McSweeney grew up in the South West corner of Western Australia and is from a generational family farming in the grain and sheep industry.

During her career she has developed particular expertise in delivering trade and export bilateral agreements as part of the Victorian and Federal Governments.

Kristy McSweeney has been announced as a Grain Producers Australia Director

She has also recently held senior positions in Hancock Agriculture and Kidman, delivering public advocacy on behalf of the agriculture sector and working with investment partners.

Prior to this she was a lead stakeholder negotiator for QantasLink, working with key agricultural and regional stakeholders in communities across the country.

Ms McSweeney began her career in regional news covering agricultural issues and has continued to advocate for regional Australians in her capacity as a political contributor to News 24 and ABC for over a decade, as well a working in the investment markets understanding the economic drivers of Australia’s agricultural industry.

Ms McSweeney said she was looking forward to contributing to one of Australia’s leading industries.

“The grains industry is a significant economic contributor to Australia, as is agriculture in general, and I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to a strategy for growers that embeds that message to policy makers and the public," she said.

“Our industry is also one of the most technology forward innovators and scientific led industries in Australia, and in an era where Government wants to showcase the technology innovation of Australia, agriculture’s role in leading this is not often recognised.

"I’m committed to helping change that perception, on behalf of the growers, but also on behalf of the thousands of regional communities just like the one I grew up in, who are delivering for Australia in so many ways and not being recognised in the public or policy consciousness for their contribution.”

ENDS 

Further information: 

GPA Chair Matthew Madden: 0457 731 210

GPA Executive Officer Rachael Oxborrow: 0416 705 193