Cattle Australia Names 2026-27 Beef Leaders
The organisation selected eight young professionals to join its national leadership development programme.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Agriculture
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Cattle Australia has announced the eight participants selected for its 2026-27 National Beef Leaders programme. The cohort was unveiled at the Cattle Connect event held in Wagga Wagga.
Why it matters
The programme aims to cultivate future industry expertise by building skills in governance, policy, media engagement, and representation. Participants aged 21 to 35 were chosen from diverse sectors including cattle operations, health, research, and technology.
The selected cohort consists of eight professionals aged 21 to 35 who represent diverse industry roles. Collectively, these members have demonstrated significant influence, already reaching 32,000 people through their online work.
The players
Cattle Australia
This is the peak national representative body for the Australian cattle industry that works to promote the interests of cattle producers.
Will Sullivan
He is a program participant who manages 1,100 Angus cows in Western Victoria.
Lauren Galloway
She is a participant in the programme who works in public policy for a Commonwealth agency.
Mitchell Portbury
He is a participant who works in the automated livestock feeding division at DOM Distribution.
Adrianna Pott
She is a program participant serving as the South West Queensland representative for Zoetis.
The details
The group comprises individuals from Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria with backgrounds spanning commercial cattle operations, seedstock, media, and policy. Participants include professionals from organisations such as AuctionsPlus, Palgrove, and DOM Distribution, alongside academic researchers and policy staff.
Timeline
2026-27: The duration of the National Beef Leaders programme.
22 October 2026: The official announcement of the cohort at Cattle Connect.
2024: The year Will Sullivan introduced individual animal recording to his herd.
Market Landscape
The programme follows the tradition of industry development initiatives launched during the Cattle Connect gathering. It positions these young professionals to influence the future trajectory of the Australian cattle market amidst changing policy and technological landscapes.
The programme impacts the broader industry by shaping the future leadership of organisations that influence market regulations and cattle management standards. Readers involved in the sector may see new policy advocacy or media initiatives emerging from this cohort over the coming year.
The takeaway
Developing young leadership is critical to maintaining the competitive edge of the Australian cattle industry. Professionals looking to advance their own careers should track the public advocacy and policy work produced by this cohort to understand shifting industry priorities.
Further reading
For more on industry development initiatives, visit Agriculture.
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