ANGUS Beveridge of Wyuna Merinos, Armatree, has been appointed president of the NSW Stud Merino Breeders’ Association (SMBA).
The third-generation Merino breeder from NSW’s Macquarie region was elected unopposed following the association’s annual general meeting held at the Sydney Royal Show and succeeds James Derrick, Karoola Downs Poll Merinos, Adelong, whose three-year term concluded at the meeting. Mr Derrick now becomes a vice-president.
Mr Beveridge served as vice president and councillor of the SMBA, where he was one of the SMBA’s delegates to the Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders’ (AASMB). He was also president of the Dubbo National Ram Sale Association from 2007.
Mr Beveridge, who has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, has worked as export trading co-ordinator with Dalgety International Trading, including stints at Newcastle Wool Stores and Port Phillip Woollen Mills, Melbourne.
While he did not aim to be political, greater engagement with NSW Farmers was needed. He said animal health and welfare would also be a priority, as well as investigating marketing options in conjunction with national organisations.
“The association needs to continue to have a foothold with the Lifetime Ewe Productivity Project and our Merino health priorities need to be sustained; especially our accreditation work with Ovine brucellosis,” he said.
“The increasing prevalence brucellosis, because of opportune sheep breeders picking up sheep from untested sources, needs to be more controlled.”
He lives at the family’s property, “Warragong”, a 2200-hectare mixed farm running 900 registered Merino ewes and 2300 flock Merino ewes, 50 Poll Hereford breeders and 400ha under crop.
Drew Chapman, Hinesville and West Plains stud, Delegate, was confirmed as junior vice-president and also confirmed in their positions were SMBA secretary, Megan Giannini and treasurers, Tony Gall, Wilsons Creek, Uralla, and Lou Armstrong, Pemcaw, Dunedoo.
