THE skills of a nutrition and health specialist, along with those of an expert in marketing in the field of fast-moving consumer goods, have been added to the board of Australia’s most influential red meat organisation Meat and Livestock Australia.
Professor Manny Noakes, who says red meat has a key role to play in addressing problems like obesity in Australia, and Jo Pye, who has two decades of experience in roles covering everything from food science to marketing and consumer insight work, were both made first-time MLA board directors at the organisation’s annual general meeting in Canberra yesterday afternoon.
Prof Noakes has expertise in the food regulatory system and is renowned as an advisor in nutrition both within Australia and overseas.
She spoke about her passion for spreading the message about the positive role of red meat in human nutrition.
Currently an Adjunct Research Professor with the University of South Australia, she was named in the top 50 influential women in South Australia in 2014.
Ms Pye has worked with the likes of Watch Me Think, Mintel International and was marketing director for Australian and New Zealand at DuPont.
Speaking in support of her election, NSW cattle and sheep producer Tess Herbert said an extremely robust and vigourous process, involving hundreds of applicants, was employed to source director applicants.
That involved strategic identification of the skills required to reflect the diversity and expertise necessary to make the important decisions for the long-term benefit of the livestock industry, she said.
MLA members also voted on the election of one cattle producer representative to the MLA Board Selection Committee yesterday.
Queenslander Mick Hewitt will take up the reins as the grass-fed cattle representative.
The role of the selection committee is to call for applications, review, interview and then report to members on the suitability of candidates for election to the MLA Board.
Around 800 producers and industry representatives are in Canberra this week for a packed program of events as part of MLA’s Red Meat 2018.
The fun continues today with visits to farms and sessions on the expectations of global consumers and future leveraging of digital data.