Luke resides in Central West NSW on a multi-generational mixed farm. He lives with his wife, two children, parents, and uncle. They run a mixed farming business that includes sheep production along with main season and grazing cereal/oil seed cropping. Their sheep operation consists of 3000 Merino breeding ewes, finishing wether lambs, and 2000 Merino ewes in terminal 1st cross program.

Luke returned to the farm in 2019 after working in precision farming in Australia and the UK. His role involved developing, implementing, diagnosing, and marketing precision technologies.

He is passionate about continuously improving and refining sheep production quality and efficiency through management, genetics, and technology.

Kathryn is from near Hamilton in Western Victoria where part of her time is spent on the family farm that runs sheep, cattle and cropping.  She spends the other part of her working time running her own large animal veterinary practice, focusing on sheep and cattle.  She has recently become part of the Victorian Farmers Federation livestock council.

Third generation farmer of Lucindale in Southeast SA. Running Mixed farming operation consisting of cattle, merino sheep, stud white Suffolks and Australian whites and cropping program. Been involved in numerous sheep and cattle industry boards over the last 20 years.  

Floyd Legge is a sheep producer with his business including stud poll dorsets, prime lamb production and fine merinos. He has been involved in his family business, and full-time since 2001. His family run a mixed farming business - sheep cattle and cropping -  and have connections across the spread of AAustralian sheep production, from wool growers, prime lamb production and many states and production systems.  Floyd is also involved in the value supply chain and has understanding and connections beyond the farm gate. He believes participants through to the consumer are critical for the sustained success of the livestock producer.

Jamie is a beef and sheep farmer at Tahara in south-west Victoria, managing his family farm - a role he has had since 2015. Jamie has a passion for strong and safe animal husbandry techniques and for growing grass. 

Not one to follow a “traditional path”, Jamies' pathway to farm management did not involve further education until later in his working career. He finished Year 12 in 2010 and went straight into the workforce, working across farms for five years until he returned to the family farm. It was then, his passion for learning and upskilling was realised and he completed his wool classing certificate, 2 Diplomas and did a Bachelor of Agriculture degree.

Alongside formalised education, Jamie has participated in the GenAngus Future Leaders Program (2021), Leadership Great South Coast (2021), World Framers Organisation Gymnasium Program (2023) and The Observership Program (2024).

Away from farming, Jamie enjoys travelling, playing tennis and golf (both poorly), reading and managing his short-term accommodation business (Grampians Villas) with his partner Daniel in Halls Gap.

Originally from a farm near Meningie, South Australia Tom developed a passion for agriculture from an early age. Having enjoyed a variety of positions over four states in many areas of agriculture on farm farm production and agriculture services. This experience has allowed Tom to develop a deep understanding of the diversity and challenges of the industry.

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After completing a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) at Marcus Oldham college Tom joined AWN (Australian Wool Network) and is currently the South Australian State Manager for AWN. In this role Tom engages daily with sheep and wool producers and various other industry stakeholders across South Australia & Victoria.

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In addition to this Tom also serves as a non-executive director of The Wheen Bee Foundation.

Daryl is currently the NSW Agriculture Commissioner. He was Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water resources from 2015 to 2020 and was head of office at the Productivity Commission from 2012 to 2015. He has a long history of experience in policy areas including agriculture, water, food trade, natural resource management, telecommunications, transport and Commonwealth and State relations.

Boyd has spent time working in the Kimberley's with cattle, the Riverina in the stud merino sheep industry and in his family’s commercial sheep and cattle property. He continued to be involved in both sport and industry boards and committees. He is the current SWAG Board President and is a Director on the Ag Force Board.

David and his family operate a 6000ha cropping, sheep and cattle property in the southwest of WA in the 550mm rainfall zone. The sheep enterprise is focused on meat production using New Zealand Greeline maternal genetics to produce around 11,000 – 12,000 lambs annually, achieving lambing percentages of 140 – 150%. The Slade’s Glenridge Park business has focused on efficiency and innovation and is currently trialing a range of livestock technology as a demonstration site for the Smart Farming (Pasture and Cropping) project.

David is a strong advocate for agriculture and keen to continue to promote the involvement of young people in the industry.

Emily Blackburn is a farmer, educational specialist and rural advocate with a deep commitment to strengthening regional communities across Australia. Based on Wiradjuri land in Central West New South Wales, she and her family operate a mixed farming enterprise, where Emily leads the White Dorper commercial and stud enterprises.

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Emily is a Board Director and Company Secretary of Australian Women in Agriculture, where she applies her governance experience to strengthen national advocacy for women across the sector. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy, which underpins her interest in policy co-design reflecting the needs and voices of farmers and people in rural, regional and remote communities.

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With a career grounded in both education and agriculture, Emily is empowered to bring multiple perspectives to the challenges and opportunities facing regional Australia. She is dedicated to building stronger pathways between classrooms and agricultural opportunities, and champions an inclusive education system that supports students of all abilities to thrive.

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A passionate project leader, Emily is the founder of Ag Journey Australia, an initiative designed to connect young people with hands-on agricultural experiences. This work has been recognised through the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation Backing the Futures Grant and the AgriFutures Acceleration Grant. Emily is also a graduate of AWiA’s inaugural LeadHer Program, reflecting her commitment to ongoing leadership development.

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As a farmer, educator, community representative and mother, Emily brings energy, insight and a strong sense of purpose to her work. She is deeply committed to ensuring the future of regional Australia is informed, connected and thriving.

Josie is part of a family farming business in the Northern Midlands Tasmania, that operates a Merino stud, commercial Merino flock, prime lambs and cropping enterprises.  

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Her family’s grazing and cropping activities are balanced with the preservation of native bush.  

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Josie is involved with the local school in a voluntary role, supporting farm safety, road safety and job readiness programs and is a Member of AWI Extension TAS - Producer Advisory Panel.

Chris began his farming career in 1983 after completing Farm Management at Orange Agricultural College. During the past four decades, he has built a diverse agricultural enterprise encompassing cropping, cattle, a Corriedale stud and flock, and a Poll Dorset sheep operation. His experience spans the full supply chain - running a paddock-to-plate business supplying Sydney butchers and now supplying directly to processors - and he has long embraced technology, including EID and detailed performance recording in his stud sheep.

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As the family business has grown, Chris has taken on a wide range of industry roles during the past 15 years, serving across NSW Farmers, Sheep Producers Australia, WoolPoll, the DPI EID Reference Group, and numerous livestock, biosecurity, welfare and market advisory committees. These positions have given him extensive experience in policy, advocacy, finance, media engagement and industry leadership.