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East Gippsland Council appoints seven new members to strengthen East Gippsland agriculture sector advisory committee
East Gippsland Shire Council has appointed seven new members to its Agriculture Sector Advisory Committee, boosting local leadership, innovation, and resilience in regional farming communities across diverse agricultural industries.
East Gippsland Shire Council endorsed the appointment of seven new members to its Agriculture Sector Advisory Committee at its meeting on 20 May 2025. Established in February 2021, the committee plays a vital role in shaping agricultural policy, supporting innovation, and strengthening the resilience of East Gippsland's farming communities.
East Gippsland Shire Council appointed seven new members to its agriculture committee, boosting expertise, innovation, and regional farming resilience
Fresh agricultural perspectives
The newly appointed members bring a broad spectrum of skills and industry expertise, complementing the experience of continuing committee members Wayne Dredge (Lake Tyers), Emily Richardson (Orbost), and Edward Mauger (Bindi).
An expression of interest process was undertaken to recruit seven new contributors to join the committee, with Gippsland Agricultural Group stepping into the eighth position as a permanent industry organisation member, alongside Agriculture Victoria, Food and Fibre Gippsland, and the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.
New ag leaders
The new members are:
- Kate Commins - Swifts Creek (Beef)
- Chris Jehu - Nicholson (Finance and Banking)
- Rob Lightfoot - Lindenow (Viticulture)
- Alister McCallef - Lindenow South (Sheep, Education)
- Ty Mason - Wy Yung (Turf)
- Rohan Reynolds - Hillside (Dairy)
- Joanna Trevakis - Wairewa (Beef)
East Gippsland Shire Council thanks the eight outgoing committee members for their service, acknowledging their valued contributions to the advancement of local agriculture.
Agriculture leadership boost
Mayor Cr John White welcomed the new appointments and highlighted the importance of local leadership in shaping the future of agriculture in the region. "These new members bring a wealth of practical experience and industry insight. Council is confident their contributions will help shape a strong and sustainable future for agriculture in East Gippsland," John said.
Further details about the committee - a key force in fostering innovation, resilience, and sustainable practices in local agriculture - can be accessed on council's Agricultural Assistance web page. For enquiries, contact council's Agribusiness Development Officer, Kaylene Wickham, on 03 5153 9450.
Pictures from East Gippsland Shire Council Facebook page.
Source: http://gippsland.com/
Published by: news@gippsland.com
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