August 2021: Farmers share big wins in smart energy management

On Thursday 19 August the Energy Efficiency Council and the National Farmers’ Federation launched a briefing on the big energy management opportunities being leveraged by leading Aussie farms. As part of the launch, a webinar was held and featured farmers leading their sector, successfully managing the risks and capturing the opportunities of Australia's energy transition.

Panellists:

• Edwina Beveridge, Farmer, Blantyre Farms, a piggery in NSW;

• Dean Cayley, Owner, Cayley Farms, a mixed cropping farm in Queensland;

• Ash Salardini, Chief Economist, National Farmers’ Federation; and

• Karin Stark, Founder, National Renewables in Agriculture Conference.

Speakers

Edwina Beveridge
Farmer
Blantyre Farms

Edwina and her husband own and operate Blantyre Farms, a 2,200 sow pig farm and a mixed farm of sheep, cattle and crops, near Young, New South Wales.

In operation for ten years, a methane digestion system captures methane gas from pig manure and converts it into electricity. Blantyre also utilises food waste products for pig feed and saves 13,500 tonnes of landfill each year. The NSW EPA recently awarded Blantyre with a Green Globe Award for Resource Efficiency.

Edwina has a commerce degree from the University of Sydney and is a former chartered accountant turned pig farmer. Edwina is on the board of Australian Pork Limited and holds other industry positions.

Edwina loves living in a regional community and is proud to be feeding Australia sustainably.

Dean is a third-generation farmer from the Alloway area of Bundaberg, Queensland. He is married to Silvana with two children - Ella and Jack - and holds a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture.

The 150ha Cayley family farm produces sugarcane in rotation with peanuts as well as soybeans. The farm also supports other farms with sugarcane planting, fertiliser and lime spreading. Dean also holds directorships at Bundaberg CANEGROWERS and the Grain in Cane Co-operative where he works towards better outcomes for growers in areas such as energy tariffs.

Ash joined the NFF in July 2020 as the Chief Economist and General Manager Trade. Prior to joining the NFF, Ash was the Chief Economist at NSW Farmers’ Association and Government Affairs and Public Policy lead at Rabobank. In these roles, Ash has developed a passion for competition and energy policies for rural Australia.

Ash grew up in Tasmania and Sydney, and studied economics and law at the University of Sydney.

Karin’s international and professional history combines 18 years of engagement with communities around contemporary environmental issues. She convenes the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference, sits on the Haystacks Solar Garden Board and is involved in government funded research on microgrids in agriculture.

Her previous roles included working for Transport for London, helping launch the London Cycle Hire scheme in 2010 and in stakeholder engagement for the London 2012 Games.

Karin lives on a cotton and wheat farm in NSW that installed a 500kW solar-diesel hybrid pumping system in 2018, the biggest in the country.