Neil has farmed at Kojonup for many years, and taken a leading role in developing no-till farming in West Australia. He is currently Chair of the Western Panel of GRDC, a member of the UWA Institute of Agriculture External Advisory Board and a member of the Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI) board. He is a former President of Western Australian No-Till farming Association (WANTFA) and a former member of the State Salinity Council.

Richard is a scientist and research manager with expertise in biochemistry, genetics and genomics as applied to problems in plant pathology and plant breeding. He has 30 years research experience in the UK, Denmark and Australia, working in universities (Bristol, University of East Anglia UK and Murdoch), research institutes (Carlsberg Laboratory and John Innes) and industry (Zeneca, now Syngenta). He arrived in Australia in 2000 to set up the ACNFP. Current work involves understanding the mechanism of pathogenicity of Stagonospora (Septoria) nodorum, mapping genes for resistance to legume pathogens in the model species Medicago truncatula, generating usable genetics maps in crop legumes and enhancing the sustainability of fungicides.

Ralph’s career began with nine years in PNG as a plant pathologist and a commercial pilot. He has worked in the WA wheat belt since 1970 as a ground spraying contractor, researcher for a major chemical manufacturer, a private contract researcher, and a specialist crop protection consultant. He has served on the Board of Kondinin Group, and the Agriculture Protection Board of WA. His special interests are application technology and flight instruction.

Anna is an active partner in a mixed farming property in Brookton WA, producing grain, export hay and sheep for meat and wool. She has a background in secondary education in the fields of mathematics, science, agriculture and gifted education. Anna is a graduate of the AICD and the Australian Rural Leadership Program.

Merrie comes from a broadacre cereal, legume and sheep farm in the north eastern wheatbelt of WA. She comes with a background of capacity building through group work and extensive exprerience in group process and dynamics. Merrie is involved in the coordination of collaborative grower driven trials and extension. She is also involved with farm business strategic and succession planning.

David is the Senior Operations Manager, Supply Chain Quality at the Metro Grain Centre and is the Chair and Executive Director of Australasian Lupin Processing P/L.

Tracey is the Project Leader for the Grower Group Alliance project and is based at the University of Western Australia in Perth. In this GRDC funded project, the GGA supports a network of over 40 grower groups across the WA wheatbelt and aims to provide grower groups with expended networking capacity and greater involvement in collaborative projects with other grower groups, industry partners and the wider research community. Tracey has a BSc (Agriculture) with 1st class honours, and a Graduate Diploma in Rural Systems Management. She has 10 years experience in facilitation and working with grower groups. Her professional interests include farming systems and the role for extension, together with grower decision making and its impact on adoption of new technology. She is the WA regional coordinator for the Australasia Pacific Extension Network.

Frances is a Research Scientist MSc (Agriculture, PhD (Soil Biology) DAFWA. Her professional interests include resource use efficiency, soil/root/plant interactions, soil organic carbon turnover, biological functioning of soils, production, farming systems and the communication of research outcomes.

Peter is a farmer from Dunn Rock (50km SW Lake King) farming 3,000ha focussed on cereal production. A former president of South East Premium Wheatgrowers Association (SEPWA), Peter is currently a member of the Western Region Barley Council. He is passionate about R&D and believes that innovation is the key to productivity and sustainability.