New board for new Pork CRC

Ensuring Australian pork is a high-integrity meat that is welfare optimal, environmentally responsible, safe and nutritious is the focus of the Pork Cooperative Research Centre for high-integrity Australian pork.

Commencing 1 July, the new Pork CRC will also have a new board, with Andrew Spencer, Dr Hugh Wirth and Kenton Shaw appointed as directors.

Replacing Paul Pattison, Associate Professor Wayne Pitchford and Andrew Maughan from 1 July, they will join existing board members Dr John Keniry (Chairman), Professor Simon Maddocks, Professor John Pluske, Dr Rob Van Barneveld, Rod Hamann, Sam McIvor, Brian Halstead and Nigel Smith.

When announcing the new board, Dr Keniry said it was vital that Australia’s pork industry maintain local production of reasonably priced, high-quality pork, produced at an acceptable return on capital invested, while improving pig welfare, the environment and consumer health.

He thanked the outgoing directors for their contributions to the success of the inaugural Pork CRC and said he was confident their replacements would build on the work of their predecessors, while bringing fresh ideas and new skills to the board.

Spencer is CEO of Australian Pork Limited; Dr Wirth, a veterinarian, is a former RSPCA Australia President; and Kenton Shaw is General Manager, Production, of Rivalea Australia.

Australia’s pork industry has an annual farm-gate value of $1 billion, contributes $3 billion annually to the national economy and generates 8000 jobs.

Late last year the industry welcomed the announcement by Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, to fund the CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork for $20 million over eight years.

The Pork CRC’s 40 participants have committed $18 million in cash and $94 million in-kind, to complement the federal government’s support.

The four research programs of the CRC for high-integrity Australian Pork are:

1. Confinement-free sow and piglet management
2. Herd health management
3. Healthy pork consumption
4. Carbon-conscious nutrient inputs and outputs