DairyTas Board
The DairyTas Board encourages the development of a Tasmanian dairy industry that is sustainable, vigorous and dynamic, offering economic and social rewards to dairy farmers and the wider community.
The DairyTas Board of nine directors is made up of:
- Six directors who are dairy farmers
- One industry representative
- One Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) representative
- One Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) representative
The Board is responsible for achieving the objectives of DairyTas as set out in the Constitution. More specifically, the Board’s responsibilities are:
- Review and approve the strategic direction and financial objectives of DairyTas
- Provide input and approve strategies, budgets, plans and polices and assess performance against strategies
- Review and monitor processes and controls to maintain the integrity of accounting and financial records
- Reporting and approving financial results and reports
- Appoint the Executive Officer, monitor and review his/her performance and oversee succession planning
- Review remuneration paid to the Executive Officer and staff to ensure consistency with responsibilities, performance and market rates
- Ensure risks are assessed and that strategies are in place to manage them
- Ensure there is effective corporate governance structure and monitoring of performance to ensure high standards of compliance, corporate behaviour and social responsibility
- Open and transparent accountability to all stakeholders, particularly regional farmers, state farmer organisations and Dairy Australia
Ben joined the Dairy Tas Board in November 2021, with over 10 years experience in the industry all around the world Ben is now share farming with his partner on a 700 cow spring calving herd in Weegena. Having immigrated from the UK in 2013, Ben saw a strong future in the Tasmanian Dairy Industry and the opportunity to grow strong and sustainable farming operations.
Ben has completed his HND Agriculture and Countryside Management at the University of Brighton and utilised these skills over the years in several different management roles including large cow herds at South Riana, Moltema, and the UK. He has a keen interest in share farming, farm profitability and sustainability and communicating his experiences over the years with more Young Dairy Farmers at discussion groups and YDN events.
Brodie Hill
Director
Brodie joined the Dairy Tas Board in November 2021 and is a 5th generational dairy farmer. Having a clear understanding of what it means to work, live, and experience the day-to-day life of a young Tasmanian dairy farmer. He has an extensive understanding of Agribusiness, from previous experience and study, including a Bachelor of Agricultural Science – Graduating with First Class Honors.
Brodie brings to the board a plethora of practical and theoretical knowledge around the Dairy Industry and is eager to ensure that the Tasmanian Dairy Industry remains a career industry of choice for young people wishing to pursue a future in agriculture.
Luke McNab
Director
Luke owns and operates a 800 cow robotic dairy at Rocky Cape with his wife Katrina.
Luke grew up dairy farming and has since completed a mechanical trade, engineering diploma and worked in the mining industry . He and Katrina purchased their first farm in 2005, at age 24. In 2010 Luke returned to the family farm as sharefarmer. Since then, he has purchased the 850 acre dairy farm from his parents and has installed a robotic dairy on the home farm.
Luke now owns three other properties, totalling over 2000 acres. He runs a mixed farming (cropping, dairy and beef) operation across these properties.
Troy Ainslie
Director
Troy grew up in a farming family in Circular Head with his parents share farming most of his younger years. Since then, Troy has made the move to the far North East farming at Rushy Lagoon with family, and then to Elizabeth Town where he spent over 5 years as operations manager on a large scale dairy and beef operation. In this time he was fortunate to have a great mentor who not only progressed his farming knowledge and personal growth but also in business.
Troy currently manages a 540 cow dairy farm at Cressy for Compass Tas Dairy Operations. He has completed a diploma in Agriculture and has been recognised as one of the top 4 Dairy Businesses of the year in 2021 and 2022.
Josh Taylor
Industry representative
Josh joined the DairyTas board in November 2017. Josh operates from the north-west coast as a contract Chief Financial Officer (CFO), with 20 years’ experience as a Certified Practicing Accountant, both in Australia and internationally. Josh is a director of Circular Head Farms, a community-based managed investment scheme which owns and operates five dairy farms in Circular Head, along with significant support land holdings.
Josh is Company Secretary for The Van Diemen’s Land Company and was the CFO while the Company operated Australia’s largest dairy farming business until March 2016. Josh also has CFO experience ranging from transport and logistics with Spirit of Tasmania and aquaculture with Petuna Aquaculture.
Josh was formerly the accountant for National Foods (now Lion Drinks and Dairy) across the state’s cheese manufacturing plants and has also worked with Saputo Dairy Australia. Josh’s exposure to the dairy industry has been lifelong, with extended family operating dairy farms both in Tasmania and Victoria.
Josh is Company Secretary for The Van Diemen’s Land Company and was the CFO while the Company operated Australia’s largest dairy farming business until March 2016. Josh also has CFO experience ranging from transport and logistics with Spirit of Tasmania and aquaculture with Petuna Aquaculture.
Josh was formerly the accountant for National Foods (now Lion Drinks and Dairy) across the state’s cheese manufacturing plants and has also worked with Saputo Dairy Australia. Josh’s exposure to the dairy industry has been lifelong, with extended family operating dairy farms both in Tasmania and Victoria.
Andrew Wright
TFGA Representative
Andrew is the TFGA representative for the Dairy Council. Andrew brings over 20 years of farming experience to the board, ranging from Operations Manager, Farm Consultant to his most current role as Farm Investment Manager. Currently Andrew oversee the management of several large scale dairy properties in North Tasmania with fellow senior colleagues. Facilitating profitable pasture-based farm systems with a structured approach to the management of the business, with a strong focus on continuous improvement through benchmarking against similar businesses.
James Hills
TIA representative
Dr James Hills is a Senior Research Fellow and the Livestock Production Centre Leader at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture. He currently leads a team of researchers focusing on research in the areas of feedbase, animal nutrition and precision agriculture and new technologies relevant to temperate pasture-based dairy systems.
He has a particular interest in variability in farming systems and the use of technology for measuring and managing this variability to improve the efficiency and sustainability of production.