More Beef from Pastures coordinators
The More Beef from Pastures (MBfP) program, which commenced in 2004, has just entered its second phase. This means that there are new and exciting opportunities within each state for producers to become involved.
The More Beef from Pastures team includes:
National coordinator
Peter Schuster
Peter Schuster, Schuster Consulting Group Pty Ltd, was appointed as the National Coordinator for MBfP phase 2 in July 2010. Peter is based at Dubbo, NSW and, when not consulting, is directly involved in the day to day operation of a mixed grazing and cropping enterprise in the Dubbo area.
As National Coordinator, Peter works with the State Coordinators to help ensure that:
- The implementation of the MBfP program is consistent across the states
- Opportunities for the states to work together are identified
- The on-farm impact of levy investment through the MBfP program is monitored and evaluated
- All MBfP activities ultimately aspire to the program's objective to achieve a sustainable increase in the production of kilograms of beef per hectare through the optimal management of the feedbase
Program budgets are allocated to each state based on the herd size within that state. The State Coordinator is then responsible for determining how those funds are invested according to program investment guidelines supplied by MLA.
State Coordinators
The following State Coordinators are working with a team of MBfP producer advocates and the private sector in each state to deliver the program.
Shelly Anderson - New South Wales State Coordinator
Shelly Anderson is the new MBfP and Making from Sheep (MMfS) State Coordinator for NSW. Shelly works for NSW DPI and is based in Orange in the state’s Central West. Shelly has a background in agricultural extension and program development. In addition to coordinating the MBfP and MMfS programs in NSW, Shelly also coordinates the Sheep Connect NSW grower network on behalf of AWI and NSW DPI.
In NSW, MBfP is about "closing the loop" on research and development (R&D) by making sure clever ideas resulting from producer funded R&D are easily incorporated into production systems and on farm gains result. The next three years will see a focus on achieving sustainable increases in beef productivity (kilograms of beef per hectare) and/or profit through optimisation of the available feed base.
Dougal Purcell - Victoria State Coordinator
Dougal Purcell, Victoria Department of Primary Industries (Vic DPI), is the Project Manager of Victoria's BetterBeef Network and the MBfP State Coordinator. Dougal is based at Ballarat in Victoria and is directly involved in the day to day management of a small sheep enterprise in the Bendigo area. Dougal's background in beef extension includes the delivery of grazing management, marketing and genetics-focused extension programs, including working directly with Charlton Feedlot and Cargill Beef Australia.
Dougal will work closely with private consultants and Beef Industry Development Officers to oversee the delivery of the MBfP program in Victoria through the BetterBeef Network. Activities delivered to Victorian beef producers will include regional field days, workshops, conferences, accredited training programs, phone seminars, webinars, BetterBeef groups and the BetterBeef Ace Program.
Peter Ball - Tasmania State Coordinator
In Tasmania, where there is considerable pasture and pasture utilisation potential to make more beef from pastures a reality, Peter Ball from the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Science (TIAR) continues as the MBfP State Coordinator.
Through Peter's involvement with phase 1 of MBfP and a local MLA partnership, Red Meat Targets, Peter has developed a strong belief that many Tasmanian beef enterprises have the opportunity to achieve much more in terms of production and profit per hectare.
Improved pasture growth and more effective grazing management to increase utilisation and animal performance will be key themes in phase 2 of MBfP in Tasmania. Along with these production themes, a more critical and informed focus on enterprise and business management will also be pursued.
Local work undertaken by MBfP and Red Meat Targets over recent years has built a very strong suite of evidence supporting the contention that the opportunity to achieve more is real and possible. Business analyses have shown average production and profit to be substantially below that of the top 20% and grazing management and utilisation trial work has shown that considerable increases beyond that of the top 20% are both possible and profitable.
Peter will be looking to work with capable and willing producers in groups and small forums to turn this opportunity into reality, encouraging mutual learning and support that leads to greater application in the paddock and across the balance sheet.
Simon Vogt - South Australia State Coordinator
Simon Vogt of Rural Directions Pty Ltd has been appointed as the South Australian State Coordinator for the MBfP program. Simon works as an agribusiness consultant with Rural Directions Pty Ltd in their Clare office. In conjunction with being a consultant, Simon is also a beef producer and is involved in a beef production enterprise in the Mid-North of SA.
In addition to coordinating the MBfP program in SA, Simon is also involved in farm business benchmarking, business planning, project management and conducting feasibility studies. These fields of work provide experience and insight across the full range of beef producing environments within the State, including the pastoral areas.
Simon's role as the SA State Coordinator will include ensuring that the South Australian program strives to meet the national objective of sustainably increasing the number of kilograms of beef produced per hectare. Simon is keen to see South Australian beef producers increase their productivity and efficiency as a result of participation in the program.
Sue-Ellen Shaw - Western Australia State Coordinator
Sue-Ellen is based at Albany on the south coast of Western Australia and recently took on the role of State Coordinator for the MBfP program in Western Australia. Sue-Ellen also manages the extensive Agricultural Beef Project for the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) encompassing research, development and extension activities.
The MBfP program in Western Australia for the next three years will concentrate on building beef business resilience through a strong market focus. The program will welcome the involvement of private sector deliverers to support the industry in moving forward.
More information
State coordinator contacts
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