LAE Southern Australia 2026 – about the workshop deliverers
Feedbase decision making
Basil Doonan (Pinion Advisory) and Dr Jillian Kelly (Animal Health and Nutrition Consulting) will be delivering the ‘Feedbase decision making’ two-day workshop in Launceston TAS, where participants will gain knowledge and confidence in the key aspects of grazing management to equip them to better support their producer clients.
Basil Doonan has over 25 years of experience in farm business management, grazing management, training and consultancy. He has worked extensively in Australia and overseas in grazing industries, primarily consulting to farm business owners and managers and developing and delivering producer supported learning programs on topics such as pasture management, strategic planning, irrigation management and herd fertility.
Basil has a sound understanding of pasture and business management, soil and animal nutrition, animal husbandry and agronomy gained over his time in the agricultural industry. Basil has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Farm Management.
Jillian Kelly is the principal consultant veterinarian and ruminant nutritionist at Animal Health & Nutrition (AHN) Consulting, based at Coonamble in northwest NSW. Jill worked in private mixed veterinary practices for six years and was the Local Land Services District Vet for 11 years before deciding to launch her own business.
The philosophy behind AHN Consulting is ‘proactive livestock production’ and Jill works alongside her sheep, cattle and goat clients to instigate good on farm animal health and nutrition programs to achieve high levels of production. She graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with first class honours from the University of Sydney in 2005, did the CVE course in Ruminant Nutrition in 2014 and was admitted as a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Ruminant Nutrition in 2015.
Jill’s passion is drought resilience and preparedness. She pioneered the drought smoko concept, where she mentored small groups of farmers through feeding their livestock throughout the 2018-2020 drought, running 70 events and reaching over 1000 producers. She was the inaugural host of the Seeds for Success podcast and is a regular speaker at forums and conferences around the country. Jillian also runs a beef cattle trading operation, loves campdrafting, has a side hussle as Miss Vet – a watercolour painter and lives with her family near Coonamble.
Genetics and reproduction
Dr Jillian Kelly (Animal Health and Nutrition Consulting) and a genetics team member from Meat & Livestock Australia will deliver the ‘Genetics and reproduction’ one-day workshop in Launceston TAS, where participants will be able to improve their knowledge of the key principles of reproduction and genetics relevant for southern livestock businesses. This workshop will include insights into how advisors can support producer clients to make important decisions about breeding objectives, sire selection, reproduction cycle management and joining.
Building blocks of business
John Francis (Agrista) and Jess Paton (Agrista) will deliver the ‘Building blocks of business’ two-day workshop in Syndey NSW, where participants will build confidence and skills in financial literacy, critical thinking and the ability to do simple cost-benefit analysis to support decision making.
John Francis is a farm business management consultant with over ten years’ experience in agricultural consultancy and a further fifteen years’ experience in production agriculture (agronomy). John holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture) and a Certificate IV in workplace training and assessment.
John Francis is a farm business management consultant with over ten years’ experience in agricultural consultancy and a further fifteen years’ experience in production agriculture (agronomy). John holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture) and a Certificate IV in workplace training and assessment.John is the owner of Agrista, an agricultural consultancy business based in Wagga Wagga in southern NSW. Agrista provides consulting and benchmarking services to corporate and family farm asset owners and managers, the rural finance sector, government and industry bodies and the agricultural services sector. John’s expertise generates value for clients via one-on-one consultancy, group consultancy, industry-driven project work, workshop content development and delivery and public speaking engagements and industry presentations.
John works at a strategic and tactical level with corporate and family farm asset owners and managers to improve productivity and profitability. John is also involved in a number of livestock industry projects and farm benchmarking groups. He is the NSW deliverer of the MLA Business Edge course and has recently developed a series of farm expansion workshops aimed at improving the financial skills of farm managers when acquiring additional farmland. John has a detail-oriented personality type with a proven ability to think critically, rationally, and objectively.
Jess Paton is based in Mitchell, QLD. She has a strong connection to agriculture, growing up on her family’s beef cattle property in Tooma, South-East NSW. Jess holds a Bachelor of Agriculture and a Bachelor of Business from the University of New England.
Jess Paton is based in Mitchell, QLD. She has a strong connection to agriculture, growing up on her family’s beef cattle property in Tooma, South-East NSW. Jess holds a Bachelor of Agriculture and a Bachelor of Business from the University of New England. Jess’s most recent professional experience includes three years with Cibo Labs as the Customer Support and Project Manager. She also has experience in livestock reproduction, spending time as an Embryo Transfer Technician at the Holbrook Vet Centre.
Jess joined the Agrista team in early 2025. With a strong foundation in livestock production, business, and client support, Jess is committed to helping producers enhance their business productivity and performance.
Meating the market
Elke Hocking will deliver the ‘Meating the market’ one-day workshop in Murray Bridge SA where participants will learn how to analyse customer feedback and assist their clients to identify and discuss possible on-farm solutions to compliance issues.
Elke is a private agricultural consultant based in the south-east of SA.
Elke is a private agricultural consultant based in the south-east of SA.Prior to commencing her consultancy business, Elke spent six years in beef research, seven years as a sheep industry consultant, and a lifetime of on-farm experience.
Elke holds a Bachelor and a Master of Agricultural Science and a Certificate IV in workplace training and assessment. She is passionate about producers being able to profitably and sustainably produce high yielding beef and lamb product that meets consumers’ expectations in terms of eating quality, nutrition and safety through the adoption of new technology, best practice production systems, value-based trading and a positive, professional approach to business.
Influence and impact
Jill Rigney (The Right Mind) will deliver the ‘Influence and impact’ two-day workshop in Murray Bridge SA where participants will learn the fundamentals of human engagement, plus processes and frameworks for sustained influence.
Jill specialises in the areas of capacity-building for businesses and individuals, specifically in the areas of leadership and performance.
Jill specialises in the areas of capacity-building for businesses and individuals, specifically in the areas of leadership and performance. With an original background in administration, Jill now specialises in the areas of engagement, self-mastery, communications, conflict and negotiation.
Jill is a certified professional member of the Australian Human Resource Institute and a member of the Australian Institute of Training and Development.
