Meet the Board
AIR EP Board members are selected via an application process, based on skills and experience relating to finance, legal and/or corporate governance, strategic thinking/planning, stakeholder engagement and public relations. Other skills and expertise in information and communication technology, management experience, governance experience, education expertise, understanding of the business of farming systems groups, agricultural science, farming systems on the Eyre Peninsula and past board membership are highly valued attributes of board members.
Bill Long, Chair (October 2022- present)
Bill is a farmer and manager of Ag Consulting Co, a South Australian based agricultural consulting business established in 1996. The company provides agronomic, farm business management advice and facilitation services to farm businesses across SA and Australia and manages and conducts research and communication projects to growers and industry on a range of agronomic and farm management issues.
With his wife Jeanette and son Will, he grows lentils, chickpeas, beans, cereals and canola, and runs sheep on his properties at Butler, Tooligie Hill on Eyre Peninsula and Undalya in the mid north of SA. He is passionate about the grains industry and enjoys the complexity and challenges of understanding and managing farming systems across Australia.
Greg Scholz, Public Officer
Fourth generation grains, sheep and wool producer between Wudinna and Yaninee on upper Eyre Peninsula.
Graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Ag in 1992; worked as an Agronomist on EP for 8 years.
Our farming business is a family operation involving my parents, wife and our 4 children with some of that 5th generation now transitioning into the family business.
Plenty of community involvement with a brief stint in local government, but many years volunteering with local sporting clubs and farming groups including 6 years as an EPARF board member.
Greg Arthur
Greg has been a Partner at Mellor Olsson Lawyers since 1992 when it was first formed and has been a key member in their business advisory and agribusiness teams. Greg has practiced in the areas of taxation, revenue and property law, and assists clients with their estate planning and asset protection needs. He has acted for a number of farming families in their succession planning requirements and has acted in a number of farming family disputes.
On 30 June 2020 Greg retired as the Managing Partner of Mellor Olsson, and will continue from that date to be a Consultant to Mellor Olsson.
Ken Webber
Involved with agriculture for 38 years, Ken has a strong desire to see research and development tailored/adapted/developed for the benefit of growers and agriculture in general on the Eyre Peninsula.
Mark Stanley, Special Skills Member
Mark has spent more than 30 years progressing South Australia’s grains industry. He runs a project management business based in Port Lincoln that operates throughout the Eyre Peninsula and beyond.
Mary Rowe
Together with husband Brad, Mary owns a first-generation wool and lamb enterprise at Elliston. Focus is placed on production traits which will allow the business to meet it’s financial, environmental and welfare objectives. Mary also works full-time in livestock production pharmaceuticals with a special interest in minimising disease and increasing production.
Mary is skilled in grazing systems, animal nutrition and animal health across intensive and extensive sheep and cattle production systems in South Australia. She has worked in aspects of livestock supply chain from conception to consumption. She pushes to adopt novel technology, if economically beneficial, strives to improve animal welfare. She brings a balanced perspective of practical experience, technical knowledge and business acumen.
Daniel Adams
Cockaleechie Farmer
Matt Cook
Minnipa Farmer
Past Board Members
Andrew Polkinghorne (2020-2023)
A passionate grain producer at Lock, South Australia, Andrew runs a 7,000 hectare cropping and sheep farm with his family at Lock on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. Their 6,000 hectare cropping regime includes growing wheat, barley, canola, and lentils. The livestock enterprise is a self-replacing merino flock with 600 ewes and following stock.
Andrew has extensive experience on various Boards and is a past Australian Farmer of the Year.
Bryan Smith (Chair) 2020-2022
Bryan has farmed in two diverse locations in 40 years which has fostered his passion for agriculture. He farmed for 25 years at Laura in the Mid North of SA and now farms at Nundroo on the far West Coast. Bryan’s current cropping program is 4000 hectares of wheat, barley and canola. He also runs 1500 Dorper ewes.
Bryan's interest in research and development grew following his adoption of direct drilling technology in the mid-1980s while at Laura, being regularly involved with on-farm trial work and field days.
John Richardson 2020-2022
John is an Adelaide University Agricultural Science graduate who farms with his brother in the Tumby Bay hills.
John is a past LEADA President who joined the committee because he has a passion for agriculture and sees the importance of an organisation such as LEADA to be successful.