High profile meat industry executive Alastair James appointed to breed company
A high profile meat industry executive is set to take the reins at the major breed organisation after its former boss left to lead Meat and Livestock Australia.
Herefords Australia have found a new boss to lead the breed after former chief executive Michael Crowley resigned to take on the leadership of Meat and Livestock Australia, last month.
Alastair James has today been revealed as the new Herefords Australia chief executive.
Mr James will leave another high profile industry role – Red Meat Advisory Council chief executive – to take up the post.
He was appointed to that role in November 2021 and prior to that worked for industry representative bodies including the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council and CropLife Australia, and for the former Federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Before that Mr James worked as an agronomist and farmer.
Mr James will take over on August 7 and said he was “very excited about taking on the role and I am looking forward to meeting the team and finding where we can focus to promote the Hereford breed and achieve results for our members”.
He said Herefords had a critical role in the supply chain and offered a “reduced days to slaughter advantage compared to contemporaries, delivering better body condition scores on less feed, and improved fertility – and doing all of that with an edge in sustainability”.
Mr James said there would be a focus on promoting those “evidence-based genetic advantages” of Hereford genetics.
Herefords Australia chairman Marc Greening said the appointment of Mr James was a “coup for the organisation” given his extensive knowledge and contacts throughout the red met industry.
In April MLA announced Michael Crowley would be its new managing director, five months after announcing the resignation of former boss, Jason Strong.
Mr Crowley spent 14 years with MLA before taking on the role of chief executive of Herefords Australia, a position he held for just over a year.
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