Patrick Hutchinson
Director, Chair Advisory Committee
Patrick Hutchinson is a highly credentialed, commercial Agribusiness subject matter expert (SME) with extensive technical knowledge, understanding of the drivers of industry commerce and a high level network including government and key influencers throughout the supply chain.
Patrick has spent close to twenty years working in the agricultural industry in Australia and is well known for his comprehensive understanding of the red meat supply chain and his ability to ‘make things happen’ in the industry. Passionate about Australian agribusiness, there are few other people as well connected as Patrick. He knows the people and the organisations that shape the industry and understands the issues and priorities of different industry organisations. His experience working right across the industry means he can empathise with, and relate to, producers, agents, feedlotters, processors and retailers alike.
Patrick’s key areas of expertise incorporates how to assess and extract maximum value from the value chain to establish a management system to guarantee financial sustainability by undertaking analysis of market related needs, meat safety, quality control process, animal welfare, business systems and solutions, resourcing, and future supply and demand industry projections.
Patrick is currently the CEO of the Australian Meat Industry Council (www.amic.org.au).
Cye Travers
Managing Director
Cye Travers is a leading pastoral company executive and livestock operations leader. A specialist in “gate to plate” systems, Cye has a deep understanding of marketing, key assessments on value and volume potential.
Cye has been employed within various sectors of the red meat industry since 1996. He is exceptionally trained in the red meat processing sector, being a former winner of the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition. Cye was Meat & Livestock Australia’s Value Based Marketing Manager as well as Meat Standards Australia Grading Assistant Manager. This has put Cye as one of the most well respected eating quality experts in the red meat industry. Cye has a large range of qualifications within the meat specification and product grading. Cye has also been involved in the forefront of farm management innovation, managing a large scale pastoral company, Chandler River Pastoral Company, for eight years. This has given Cye the unenviable reputation as a high level livestock management expert. After assorted industry roles he went from there to General Manager, Branded Beef with Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), heading up beef sales for the world’s biggest cattle business, AACo. Cye recently returned to BSA as MD following 2 years with Romani Pastoral Company.
Cye’s key areas of expertise incorporates a deep understanding of the production systems for livestock and beef marketing to deliver key assessments on the value, and volume, potential for supply chains within Australia and globally for livestock supply.
Duncan Bruce Smith
Project Manager
Duncan has been involved in the farming industry since 1981 in both industry administration roles and practical farm management. Duncan initially managed properties in Victoria and South Australia which were CattleCare and Flockcare Accredited and EU Accredited, giving him a strong understanding of livestock supply and quality programs. In 2004 he became the project manager with MLA in the LPA program, which including coordination of extension days on Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) and deliver the extension days to producers and visitors that came to MLA. This was followed by 12 months as Livestock Policy Director with NSW Farmers (NSWFA), which involved managing 12 committees including extensive and intensive livestock, Western Division Council, and animal welfare and biosecurity.
This wealth of experience has allowed Duncan to continue managing specific projects for Blue Sky Agribusiness, including providing training and risk assessment for the MLA/Livecorp Live Export Program, aligned to ESCAS requirements, pertaining to animal welfare and animal handling, and undertaking advocacy work for the Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA) including management of health/welfare/biosecurity policy and secretariat work including attending industry meetings with stakeholders and government.
Jeff White
Training and Project Advisor
Jeff White has over 20 years experience in the rural industry across NSW in varying roles in the rural merchandise sector in Agronomy, Animal Health, Sales and Marketing, Rural Management and Training as well as farm planning. He has also been working in the Training Sector at TAFE NSW as well as farm advisory. Jeff has Bachelor Applied Science (Systems Ag) major in Extension and Beef Cattle, Diploma Commercial Agronomy, Cert IV TAE.
Jeff is currently Manager at Braidwood Rural Supplies