The partnership will involve Meat Business Women and AMIC supporting women across agriculture by encouraging females into the sector in Australia.
A voluntary committee has been established to work alongside AMIC on the future of Meat Business Women in the Australian meat industry. The committee comprises the following females within the meat industry sector:
• Dalene Wray, managing director, OBE Organic (QLD)
• Joanne Macri, administration & HSE coordinator, Wellard (WA)
• Louise Harland-Cox, national member services manager, AMIC (NSW)
• Maureen Gimpel, group human resources manager, Bindaree Beef (QLD)
• Melissa Fletcher, chief executive officer, Fletcher International (NSW)
• Stacey Mckenna, manager industry research, standards and capability, AMIC (Vic)
• Tania Carey, general manager AUS/NZ, Food Processing Equipment (SA).
AMIC CEO Patrick Hutchinson said the committee was made up of an experienced and committed group of women who had great networks that other women could tap into.
“Meat Business Women is a strong international organisation, and AMIC is excited to bring their already successful initiative to Australian shores,” said Hutchinson.
Coinciding with the collaboration, AMIC has also launched its first Australian Meat Business Women networking event at the Park Royal, Melbourne airport, on Wednesday, 3 April. The event will involve networking opportunities for women across the meat supply chain, as well as motivational speakers and industry figures.
The launch into the Australian market follows partnerships with Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and The International Meat Secretariat (IMS).
Meat Business Women founder Laura Ryan told GlobalMeatNews that the collaboration with AMIC is a continuation of its global expansion.
“We want to show that the meat sector is a great place to work for females,” said Ryan. “We’re delighted that Australia is launching Meat Business Women of the back of the launch with New Zealand.”
Meat Business Women also revealed its keynote speaker – Temple Grandin – for its London-based 2019 conference on 14 May.
Grandin, who is diagnosed with a form of autism, is an American professor of animal science at Colorado State University and is known for her special connection with animals.
According to Meat Business Women, her autism allows her to visualise the world through pictures and images the same way animals do.