Chair’s Note: The Future Flock National Advisory Panel - Inaugural Meeting

Last week, I was pleased to convene the inaugural meeting of The Future Flock National Advisory Panel in Sydney.

This marked an important first step in the development of a national, long-term strategy for the Australian sheep industry.

The meeting brought together a diverse and highly experienced group of industry leaders, producers and industry specialists, alongside representatives from Sheep Producers Australia and The Future Flock project team.

The focus of our first meeting was to establish clarity around purpose, expectations and operations of the Panel over the coming months.

A significant part of our discussion centred on the role of the Panel itself. Members highlighted the importance of providing independent, constructive and evidence-based advice to support the development of a credible and inclusive national strategy for the sheep industry.

The panel emphasised the need for The Future Flock to be genuinely visionary in its pitch, with a grounding in robust science and economics, and also recognising social, market and consumer drivers that will shape the industry over the next decades.

The next phase of The Future Flock development involves a structured program of industry consultation, interviews, and analysis to inform the development of key opportunities and risks for the industry’s future.

The Panel will continue to meet regularly, alternating between in-person and online sessions, to guide this work and test emerging themes and directions.

I thank all Panel members for their thoughtful contributions and their willingness to engage openly and constructively from the outset.

The strength of the discussion at this first meeting gives me confidence that The Future Flock process can help unite the industry around a shared, forward-looking vision and provide a strong foundation for the decade ahead - Angus Hobson.