Woodanilling’s Bindi Murray reappointed on Sheep Producers Australia board

Woodanilling sheep producer and industry advocate Bindi Murray will continue at the helm of Australia’s peak sheep producer body following her reappointment last week. Mrs Murray will sit on the Sheep Producers Australia board for her second three-year term after the group’s AGM, where members voted to accept the selection committee’s recommendation. She is joined by Victorian farmer and part-time sheep classer Robert Herrmann, who is the managing director of independent market analysis business Mecardo, which he started in 1996. The commercial sheep producer runs 9000 breeding Merino ewes on her family’s mixed farming operation in the Great Southern, which she runs with her husband, parents, sister and brother-in-law. She has a long history of advocacy, governance and strategic roles within the industry as a founding member of The Sheep Collective, Sheep Alliance of WA director and roles on the Pastoralists & Graziers Association executive committee and livestock committee. She has long lent her voice to campaigning for the importance of the live export industry and was also named Young Farmer of the Year in 2013. The mother of three considered having the definition of a lamb changed last year one of the major achievements accomplished during her time on the board. On July 1, 2019, a lamb was redefined as an ovine animal either under 12 months of age or without permanent incisor teeth in wear, whereas beforehand they were only considered lambs if they had no permanent incisor teeth. The change meant lambs could cut one or both permanent central incisor teeth, as long as they were not in wear. “It was really nice to see that come to fruition,” Mrs Murray said. With the previous definition, an animal could change from the lamb to mutton category overnight. Now, there’s a little more time, so less wastage in the supply chain.” Moving forward, she planned to “really focus” on governance and delivering benefits to producers. SPA chair Chris Mirams said Mrs Murray and Mr Herrmann brought a “wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to the board”.