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Dairy

New directors for ADF

New face: Ben Bennett, from Pomborneit in western Victoria, has been appointed as a director with Australian Dairy Farmers. Photo by Rick Bayne

South Australian dairy farmer Rick Gladigau is the new president of Australian Dairy Farmers.

Three new directors were also elected at the annual general meeting.

Mr Gladigau and Queensland Dairy Organisation president Brian Tessmann remain as sitting business directors of the board.

They are joined by two new business directors — NSW Farmers Dairy Committee member and Norco director Heath Cook, and Corangamite UDV branch president Ben Bennett — and new independent director Andreas Clark, the former chief executive officer of Wine Australia.

Mr Cook and Mr Bennett fill the positions of outgoing president Terry Richardson, who retired after a five-year term, and NSW Farmers Dairy Committee chair Colin Thompson, who was not returned to the board. Mr Clark replaces outgoing independent director Victoria Taylor, who did not stand for re-election.

Mr Gladigau praised Mr Richardson for his esteemed industry leadership and thanked Ms Taylor and Mr Thompson for their outstanding service for Australian dairy farmers.