https://agriminds.com/work daily 1.0 2025-04-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1584776413820-GZQSUIFY49335V598YK6/AGR0003.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1508127338867-NOPWUY5QB00F7GGFZP2R/iStock-508210504.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1508128144981-YM9JED0GV1K5SO35REJF/AGR0086WEB.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1508192235251-8V20KFM2G27VOEA74GFR/rowenaclarke--11.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509364651711-L8VG2YTSIF4BR475RZM5/iStock-694229956WEB.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1538576240652-3UP6LPTAWUMFIGSE1KD0/AgriPodWeb2.jpg About https://agriminds.com/blog daily 0.75 2018-03-04 https://agriminds.com/blog/2018/3/4/submission-to-the-select-senate-committee-on-the-murray-darling-basin-plan monthly 0.5 2024-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1520141284565-WW1R1IGKWD06NB8ZOQEO/images.jpeg Blog - Submission to the Select Senate Committee on the Murray Darling Basin Plan https://agriminds.com/blog/2017/11/1/trusting-the-coles-welfare-proposition monthly 0.5 2017-11-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509512107452-LUWNZYHRGDMWM29BXCEU/coles-sow-stall.jpg Blog - Trusting the Coles Welfare Proposition AN INDUSTRY wit has dubbed the Coles Supermarket business in Australia ‘TesColes’. This follows the migration to Australia in recent years of a clutch of Tesco UK ‘turn around specialists’ intent on carving a path into the strong market lead enjoyed by the fresh food people at Woolworths. Mirroring the Tesco UK model, Coles has taken curious animal ‘welfare’ positions this year that have caught the attention of media, regulators and food producers in a range of sectors from dairy, through beef, chooks and eggs and most recently pork. There is more to come. The Tesco formula determines that you play to your audience’s ‘perceptions’ and not to its intelligence. Last week, Tesco announced in the British media that it would not be selling meat derived from Australian lambs that had been mulesed. Problem with that claim, according to one industry observer, is that lambs destined for the Sunday roast are never mulesed. Merinos produced to grow wool are mulesed to protect them from the horrors of flystrike. UK expat and Coles Australia’s quality, policy and governance manager Jackie Healing told an Animal Welfare Science Centre conference this month that, in the supermarket, there’s a difference between ‘science and the perception of what is safe and legal’. Jackie told her audience that welfare was an important niche for Coles. “If you link welfare to a perception, you’ll drive sales,” she said. “No doubt about it.” Thus Coles says it has given us ‘hormone free’ beef (an oxymoron and misleading), sow stall free pork and free-range poultry and they promise cage free eggs by 2013. Jackie Healing dwelt particularly on the ‘trust’ that Coles’ 13 million customers each week have in the chain’s fresh food position. The intelligence that feeds the customer trust thesis is largely determined by consumer market research carried out by Coles. ‘TesColes’ has three enduring market dilemmas in respect of its perception-driven welfare stance. These are: · While a staggering 60 plus per cent of consumers wrongly perceived for more than 40 years that chicken meat contained administered hormones, sales in Australia rose from 6kg a head in 1965 to a staggering 37kg a head last year. And growing. · While market research is very important, if you let it run your business, it’s likely to run right over you. · Most importantly, ethically any position of ‘trust’ in any relationship must be driven by the truth and not by ‘perceptions’, commercial dissembling and outright bullshit. Trust without truth is an empty vessel. Mike Cahill 0407 213 430. Jackie Healing’s speech ‘Retail Trends in Animal Welfare’ is available as an audio file at http://www.vimeo.com/26305856 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509512794395-BN5ET1NM4FAK4DA59WRH/Unknown.jpeg Blog - Trusting the Coles Welfare Proposition https://agriminds.com/meet-the-agriminds daily 0.75 2025-04-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509330141943-505RPBNX3W4PEGX7E2LS/AGR0075WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Stephen Carroll – Co Founder Former Chairman of AgriMinds. Former Equity Partner of Geddes Parker & Partners Executive Search specialising in senior agriculture appointments, CEO of National Meat Association, General Manager AUS-MEAT, Director of Animal Health Services NSW Department of Agriculture, and a large animal veterinarian. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509331446483-DN8LF4G1XEN7V014BNA6/AGR0010WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Mike Cahill A former Chairman of Agriminds, Mike is a television writer-producer and co founder of Digital Farm TV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332659882-FA7OTOPGSC87EL3RRD09/IMG_9103WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS David Palmer – Chairman of AgriMinds Former CEO of MLA, now director or chairman on a range of agricultural boards and committees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633865633363-1PI9R689C3T0VHYNG6R2/WARWICKSCHERF.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Warwick Scherf Extensive experience in executive management roles with multi-faceted public and private organisations in the food and agribusiness sectors including Goodman Fielder Ltd and Horticulture Innovation Australia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509330184484-8KMNJ3SPBVB26BW6BUID/AGR0030WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Claude Gauchat - Co Founder Co-chair of Sydney Health Partners’ consumer advisory panel and previously was co-chair of the Partnership Advisory Council at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Hospital. Claude retired in 2022 and has over 50 years of board and executive experience in agribusiness. Appointments include chair of Strategic Investment Advisory Panels with Horticulture Innovation and formerly chair of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council Australia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/7c0801db-9203-4ef9-ba6d-352ac98206c7/DAVIDANTHONY.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dave Anthony AM Agronomist and Farm Manager, with over 40 years in the Australian cotton industry he held various positions including General Manager, COO, Managing Director and Chair of Auscott Limited, Deputy Chair of Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Chair of Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, Directorships of Plant Biosecurity CRC, Cotton Seed Distributors, Cargill Oilseeds Aust, and Australian Cotton Growers Research Association. Joint founder of Career Harvest, Knowing and Growing (was Yogurt Tree project), SOILpak. Council member of several NSW Ministerial Advisory Councils and currently Chair of Tocal Advisory Council. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/c745deb9-fdca-4151-9610-702ec220bd63/GRAHAMETURK.jpeg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Grahame Turk AM Former CEO/ Managing Director and Chairman Sydney Fish Market. Held senior management positions in diverse industries such as industrial gases, heavy engineering and manufacturing, steel and foodservice distribution and served on several industry and government boards and advisory bodies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/37274038-0a38-452f-8c3f-495979bb0aac/JOHNWEBSTER.jpeg MEET THE AGRIMINDS John Webster Independent Chair, Fight Food Waste Ltd (Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and Stop Food Waste Australia), Chairman of the National Fruit Fly Council, Chairman Safemeat, Chairman Red Meat Panel, Sheep Producers Australia, Board Selection Committee. Previously National CEO of Foodbank, Managing Director of Horticulture Australia, and various management roles with Meat and Livestock Australia and AMLC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1551621016878-DMJN2JCZ4OAPATEDUL7T/CHRIS0042.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Chris Russell AM Animal Scientist, Agribusinessman and former National President and current Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Australian Institute of Agriculture; Former Judge on ABC TV "New Inventors" series and Correspondent on NZ "NewsTalk ZB" radio. Host of the “AgriMinders” podcast series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509331564484-LASXEPW354S5TOJP88WB/CH4WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Christine Hawkins AM Corporate advisor and company director, with extensive experience in primary industries across global agricultural production and marketing, supply chains, biosecurity, environmental and natural resource management. Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Provides governance and structuring advice including to agricultural organisations and committees within government. Chair and non-executive director of several companies. Former Chair of Wheat Quality Australia Ltd, Go Grains Health & Nutrition Ltd, Deputy Chair of Grains Research and Development Corporation and several wool industry organisations. Honorary Life Member of Nuffield Australia. Currently Chair of the Audit and Risk Committees of the NSW Environment Protection Authority and NSW Local Land Services and a member of the committees for the Legislature, NSW Parliament and the Western Parkland City Authority. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/c31c61a5-44c6-4634-8350-3e9f7ac948bf/KARARUSHWORTH.jpeg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Kara Rushworth A risk and compliance advisor in global markets, specialising in global commodities and an advocate for sustainability governance. Non-executive director, advisory board member, certified professional fellow auditor and chartered banker. With over 20 years experience as an entrepreneur in the horticultural industry, Kara is passionate about making a difference in natural capital management, agribusiness, a decarbonised economy and ensuring nature's wealth counts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332357163-IME2WK7RAE4RFXY8HBAC/AGR0023WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Gerard McEvilly Independent consultant in international development, managing agricultural research programs for commercial and social outcomes. Previous senior roles in research management with Horticulture Australia Limited (now HIA) and in private enterprise, together with climate change mitigation studies and lecturing in Horticultural Supply Chains at the University of Sydney. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332488285-T3AT71A7W8OU3JL6OD1V/AGR0018WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Ray Heckendorf Co-creator of the Agriminds brand and Agriminders podcast, Ray is co-owner of Heccentric Ideas, and Citadel Creative Co-Operative. Heccentric communications ideas from Ray and his collaborators have created major market success for companies in agriculture, food, beverage, health care, as well as media, music, automotive and many retail marketers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/6e272420-41fd-4797-94a1-82937e30bf3d/JOHNBAKER.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS John Baker Founder of Produce Marketing Australia, providing marketing services for the Australian and international fresh produce industry. Previously Managing Director of the Australian Horticultural Corporation, following two decades with NSW Department of Agriculture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332712176-0IPTVIVJ2TM0W6KX1TWG/AGR0007WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS David Boyd Former Chairman and CEO Clyde Agriculture, Director John Swire and Sons (Australia), GM-Rural Dalgety, Chairman McGarvie Smith, Deputy Chairman Cotton Australia, Director Australian Wool Exchange, Director Australian Wool Innovation and Wool International. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/6d16a1b4-7c6b-4627-915f-ce3b2094abb7/TURLOUGHGUERIN.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Turlough Guerin CEO NSW Landcare, formerly an Agricultural chemist and NSW Government sustainability advisor to businesses, Federal, State and Local Government. Also formerly Chair of Ag Institute of Australia and an environmental manager in telecommunications, construction, resources and renewable energy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332440405-2WL4FL1SRH5BD56V2OWY/AGR0006WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Bruce Standen AM Former Independent Director of Sydney Fish Market, and CEO of Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509332597348-GHHTJNB77697Q6Z7126V/AGR0021WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Stephen Morgan Steve Morgan's eponymously named company is an agribusiness finance specialist. Stephen was formerly Chief Manager Agribusiness at CBA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1584842816823-0YYF5ZDEGJLNUCF30KES/AgrimindsHSO.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Helen Scott-Orr AM PSM Former Australian Inspector-General of Biosecurity, Executive Director Research, Advisory and Education with NSW Agriculture, NSW Chief Veterinary Officer, Director Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication, and served on the boards of Animal Health Australia and the Cooperative Research Centres for Invasive Animals, Weeds, Beef, Sheep, Cotton and Rice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633865431211-JXORL6ZNKWK3B5URRB80/DAVIDLEECE.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS - Make it stand out Dr David Leece AM PSM Former Executive Director (Environmental Science) and Chief Scientist of the NSW Environment Protection Authority, and a New South Wales Deputy Commissioner of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. Later, a part-time Assistant Commissioner, Natural Resources Commission of New South Wales. Early career was as a research scientist (Phytophysiologist – plant nutrition) in the Chemistry Branch, NSW Department of Agriculture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/6b29c39c-b495-4353-9c39-84a8733a6910/Brondwen+MacLean.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Brondwen MacLean Former General Manager, Research at the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), with over 25 years’ experience across Australian agricultural industries, including working with many of the rural RDCs, Cooperative Research Centres and Drought, Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs. A non-executive director on several agricultural related boards, and a member of Sugar Research Australia’s Research Funding Panel. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a consultant with Directors Australia, providing governance insights and strategies for organisations to govern effectively. A mentor for many years in NFF’s Diversity in Agricultural Leadership Program. A strong supporter of increasing diversity in leadership in Australian agriculture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633865374165-DUSOABZ9CA51CU1DH4Z6/RICHARDDEVOS.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS - Make it stand out Richard De Vos Management consulting to agriculture organisations and statutory authorities, Independent Chairman of Strategic Investment Advisory Panels to Horticulture Innovation, formerly CEO of Nursery & Garden Industry of Australia, CEO of Milk Marketing Ltd. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633865110150-HP1PDAC1YVGZ40PHZNAZ/PETERBARNARD.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Peter Barnard Managing Director of Oliver & Doam independent consultancy providing economic and policy advice to agricultural sector, and formerly General Manager International Market Access, Meat & Livestock Australia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633865497694-X98MZQZVX6KTE7O6VOCC/PHILMULVEY.jpeg MEET THE AGRIMINDS - Make it stand out Phillip Mulvey Founder and Managing Director of Environmental Earth Sciences International (EESI) and Board Member of Federal Committee of Soils Australia, formerly involved with building construction, development and rehabilitation of degraded lands in different parts of the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633866168754-STVVLZYFBGNP0QOQMHYK/DANIELTAN.JPG MEET THE AGRIMINDS Dr Daniel Tan Professor of Agronomy at Sydney University and Faculty of Science Postgraduate Coursework Program Director, formerly Senior Lecturer and Lecturer in agronomy at the University, and executive management/planning roles with hotels and resorts in SE Asia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1633866241508-W8C1VS4F90Q4PDN1YGT9/LESTARG.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Les Targ Independent Chairman of the National Auction Selling Committee for Wool, formerly consultant to Sheep CRC, Deputy CEO of Australian Wool Innovation, CEO of ADI Limited and senior executive roles in the Commonwealth Public Service. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1635714079948-TPXB4HQMLPN5GZTJM442/SARAHHUNTER.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS Sarah Hunter A business and board advisor, Sarah is Chair of Ag Institute Australia, a consumer representative on the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW and a strategy consultant. She is the former Commercial Director of Virbac Australia and was twice recognised, in that role, as a NSW finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/37636813-fbd8-4107-8e09-b7c3b320ad3d/WHITE.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/37636813-fbd8-4107-8e09-b7c3b320ad3d/WHITE.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1509418126581-SNUYPER6YA05DVC28V53/iStock-116058203WEB.jpg MEET THE AGRIMINDS https://agriminds.com/contactus daily 0.75 2020-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b0f28c7131a5f35c0c4e56/1508128312036-I38YVBPBEQNYXDYRQCN8/Cows+2.jpg CONTACT US https://agriminds.com/new-page daily 0.75 2020-03-22 https://agriminds.com/read-me daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5310cef7e4b08602cbfa36bf/1412689652885-P9TPK298WCTZU748L0SG/Lifestyle03.jpg Read Me