Allan Burgess

Allan Burgess is chairman of the Australian Dairy Industry Council, the peak dairy industry organisation where dairy farmers and dairy companies come together to agree whole of industry policy. He is also president of Australian Dairy Farmers, chairman of the Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme and Realising Dairy Potential Steering Committee, and a member of the National Industry Skills Committee and National Agricultural Monitoring System Advisory Reference Group.

Allan has held various leadership positions in the Victorian and Australian dairy industry, representing farmers for over 20 years. He has wide experience in marketing, research and development, regional development, industry restructure, education and trade reform. As a Churchill Fellow, he studied the development of people in the dairy industry in many parts of the world. He continues to be a strong advocate of education and training across the industry.

Allan dairy farms near Shepparton in northern Victoria, milking over 1000 cows and 500 young stock. He is married to Mary and has five adult children.

He was a Director of the National Farmers’ Federation from 2005-2006 and chaired their Trade Committee from 2003 to 2006.