New MLA directors Dr Saranne Cooke and Dr Stephen Lee with new chair John Lloyd (middle). Photo: Supplied

Red meat producers and industry representatives yesterday joined Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in-person in Tamworth, New South Wales, and virtually.

The formal proceedings of the AGM included consideration of MLA’s accounts and the election of three Directors to the Board.

MLA members voted to elect three Directors to the MLA Board (see biographies below):

• Dr Saranne Cooke was elected to the MLA Board, receiving 92.44% votes in favour. Dr Cooke is a director, board chair and audit and risk chair based out of South Australia with experience on a variety of boards across the research and education, agricultural, health, sport, financial and not-for-profit sectors.
• Mr Lachie Hart was elected to the MLA Board, receiving 97.96% votes in favour. Mr Hart has 40 years of experience within the beef cattle industry and is chair of the Stockyard Group, a third-generation family business operating across the beef supply chain in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
• Dr Stephen Lee was elected to the MLA Board, receiving 96.95% votes in favour. Dr Lee is an expert in livestock research and adoption and is currently the Director of the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

MLA members also voted to re-elect Julie McDonald as one of two grassfed cattle producer nominees to the Selection Committee with 98.39% of the vote.

The MLA Board is a skills-based Board. Directors have complementary skills to make important decisions for the long-term benefit of the red meat and livestock industry.

Outgoing MLA Chair Alan Beckett thanked the Members for participation in the 2024 AGM. He also welcomed Mr John Lloyd as the new MLA Chair and congratulated the new MLA Directors for their appointments to the Board.

“On behalf of the MLA Board, I extend my thanks to Professor Manny Noakes and Jacqueline Wilson-Smith, who concluded their tenures as MLA Directors as of this meeting. I thank them for their hard work and service,” Mr Beckett said.

“I step down as a Director and Chairman of MLA today. It has been a privilege to be on the Board since 2014 and to be Chair since 2019. It has been an absolute honour to represent red meat producers and levy payers,” Mr Beckett said.

“I congratulate John Lloyd, who is stepping into the role of Chair. John has been a director since 2019 and has broad skills across agribusiness, R&D and the RDC system.”

Biographies: 

Dr Saranne Cooke

Dr Saranne Cooke is a highly experienced Director, Board Chair and Audit and Risk Chair with experience on a variety of boards across the research and education, agricultural, health, sport, financial and not-for-profit sectors. Her current roles include as Chair of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern), Chair of Racing NSW, Deputy Chancellor of Charles Sturt University and Director of the Aged and Community Care Providers Association.

Saranne has a sound understanding of Research and Development Corporations having been a director of Fisheries Research and Development Corporation from 2018-2024, and Independent Chair of the Sugar Research Australia Director Selection Committee from 2022-2024. She has also been a director of Australian Meat Processor Corporation since 2022 and will conclude her tenure in November 2024.

Previous roles

Dr Cooke previously held a number of executive roles within the energy, financial, education and manufacturing sectors and has been a non-executive director of Western NSW Medicare Local, General Practice Registrars Australia, Western NSW Primary Health N/W, Leading Aged Services Australia and independent chair of Sugar Research Australia.

Mr Lachie Hart

Mr Hart is a dynamic and accomplished leader with extensive experience within the red meat supply chain spanning over 40 years. He is currently Chair of the Stockyard Group, a third-generation family business that operates across the beef supply chain, including Wagyu breeding and backgrounding near Glen Innes, NSW, and Yea, Vic, a 20,000 head feed lot at Jondaryan, Qld and the marketing and distribution of “Stockyard” branded beef to numerous domestic and international markets.

Mr Hart is a Director on the Foundation Board of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS).

Previous roles

Chairman of Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC), Industry’s Market Access Advisory Committee (IMAAC), and Japan Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Taskforce (Japan FTA). Director of Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC), and the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC).

Dr Stephen Lee

Dr Stephen Lee has a deep understanding of livestock research and adoption. He undertook his PhD with the Cooperative Research Centre for Beef Genetic Technologies and has published research and led adoption programs spanning enterprise productivity and profitability, genetic improvement, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and improvement of carcass quality.

He is currently Director of the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. The Hub has a primary focus on broadacre and pastoral industries and is responsible for delivery of programs that integrate research, development, extension, adoption and commercialisation. He is the 2024 Southern Australia Livestock Research Council scientist/researcher award recipient and in 2021 received the Jim McColl Australian Institute of Agriculture Young Consultant Award.

Dr Lee is a member of the Southern Australian Livestock Research Council Executive and the University of Adelaide Davies Livestock Research Centre Advisory Board.

Previous roles

Member of the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association Executive Committee.

Source: MLA