Livestock SA welcomes new president Geoff Power

Orroroo livestock and wool producer Geoff Power will step into the role of president of Livestock SA, replacing the organisation’s inaugural leader Richard Halliday, who was recently elected national president of WoolProducers Australia.

The WoolProducers constitution states that its president must relinquish any responsibilities at a state level and so the Livestock SA board nominated Geoff as its new president at its board meeting last Thursday. Mr Halliday will remain a board member of Livestock SA.

Mr Power comes to the role with extensive experience. He is a past‐president of WoolProducers and has been an executive member of the organisation since 2005. He has also been a member of the South Australian Sheep Advisory Group and is a current chair of the State Government’s Wild Dog Action Group.

Mr Power says he is keen to focus efforts in two areas as he takes up the role. “We need to continue to grow our membership. Currently 1855 livestock producers are signed‐up members, but technically everyone who runs livestock in South Australia can be a member because they are all contributing to funding the organisation’s advocacy work,” he said.

“Secondly, we need to continue our work in key policy areas such as drought, transport, fracking – not only in the South East but also for the Far North – increases to the Emergency Services Levy, wild dogs, biosecurity, and water, both the high cost of water and funding of the South East drainage system.”

In finishing up the role last week with Livestock SA, Mr Halliday says there have been several highlights of his tenure.

“Livestock SA was given the responsibility to handle the Far North Water Infrastructure Grants and, as far as we can tell, no other state farmer organisation has been given this responsibility anywhere in Australia. This included $425,000 in grants plus $300,000 for wild dog control measures,” Mr Halliday said.

“We held a very successful first annual general meeting at Roseworthy, in conjunction with the Sheepmeat Council of Australia’s Sheepmeat Forum, demonstrating we can work with peak bodies. We also had more nominations than available board positions, which indicated the interest in Livestock SA as a new producer‐driven organisation.

“Livestock SA is also an important contributor to the national Meat Industry Strategy Plan currently under development. This is significant because, originally, South Australian was not going to have the opportunity for local consultation, but after speaking up and disagreeing with the approach, we organised and hosted the best‐attended workshop in Australia.”

Mr Halliday implored producers to get behind Livestock SA

“We have a once‐in‐a‐lifetime opportunity in South Australia with the way we have structured our farm advocacy – we are the envy of other states and it is all down to the foresight and the support of South Australian producers in seeing that this was the way to achieve a fair, equitable and well‐funded advocacy system,” he said.

“Your local support makes us strong within SA and makes us punch above our weight on the national stage as well. I urge you to get behind Geoff and the board as they work on your behalf to influence policy and decision‐making in the best interests of livestock production.”