Skinner now Calling Shots at Sheep Producers Australia
2022-03-04 
2022-03-04 Article by: Hari Yellina
Bonnie Skinner has been chosen as Sheep Producers Australia’s new chief executive officer (SPA). Ms Skinner joined the SPA team in July 2018 as the Product Integrity Policy Manager and rose through the ranks to become the Deputy CEO in 2021. “Ms Skinner was appointed following a lengthy and exhaustive Australia-wide recruitment process,” stated Andrew Spencer, chairman of the SPA. “The Board and I are ecstatic that she was successful, and we look forward to working with her on behalf of the industry in the future.”
Ms. Skinner has a strong expertise in biosecurity and animal science, as well as a strong awareness of the political factors related with the red meat industry supply chain. She has been functioning as CEO since October 2021, and Mr Spencer stated that she was the best candidate out of a large field. Ms. Skinner expressed her eagerness to continue working with the SPA team. “Our members and producers can focus on delivering the many policy and advocacy opportunities the sheep industry has before it because the board and policy council have tremendous knowledge and expertise,” Ms Skinner said. “As CEO, I will continue to advocate issues affecting sheep producers in order to ensure a productive, successful, and long-term sheep sector.” “Now is the moment to embrace a collaborative and innovative culture.”
Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) works in six main areas to improve the productivity, profitability, and long-term viability of the Australian sheep and lamb sector. When SPA works with regulators and other industry organisations to ensure that Australian sheepmeat products meet the highest standards of food safety and quality from farm to consumer at the lowest cost to producers, they ensure that all sheep producers are represented. Assurance of livestock and products through coordinated and integrated integrity systems across the whole supply chain is a critical requirement for achieving these goals. The Sheepmeat Industry Strategic Plan 2015-2020 has a main topic of livestock and product assurance through integrated integrity systems, which is expected to result in a net increase in industry income of $32 million by 2020 ($240 million by 2030) from an annual investment of $6.9 million. Therefore, the overall benefit:cost ratio is 1:1 at 2020 (3.2:1 at 2030).