AUSTRALIAN Dairy Farmers (ADF) have welcomed Mr Stephen Sheridan to the role of CEO.
"The Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Stephen Sheridan as Chief Executive Officer of Australian Dairy Farmers," said Mr Rick Gladigau, ADF President.
Mr Sheridan has an extensive background in agriculture with a career spanning 30 years in both corporate and non–for–profit (NFP) agricultural management positions.
He is a former CEO of the Victorian Farmers Federation and a current director of Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria West.
Growing up on a mixed cropping, livestock and irrigation property, Mr Sheridan's love for all things dairy and agriculture was fostered from a young age.
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"Stephen has breadth and depth of corporate and NFP experience, as well as expertise and vision that align with where our Board wants to see ADF in the future," said Mr Gladigau.
Mr Sheridan said that he was looking forward to working with the ADF Board and team, farmers, members, and the broader industry in a sector which makes high–quality products which he enjoys, as do people all around Australia and the world.
"Australia is fortunate to have such a fantastic, clean, green, healthy and abundant supply of essential dairy foods," he said.
"The outlook for the dairy industry appears positive both domestically and internationally.
"That said, I am eager to better understand and meet the challenges faced by the sector, including the immediate impact of current flooding in eastern states, biosecurity risks such as foot–and–mouth and lumpy skin disease, increasing costs of production and equitable pricing, through to the challenges faced by us all to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our environmental stewardship."
Mr Sheridan said that his priority was to engage with farmers, members, industry groups and government to understand these immediate and longer–term challenges and opportunities.
"My goal is that ADF is an effective advocacy organisation, focused on the sustainability of Australian dairy farmers supplying the dairy products we know and love," he said.
