Board and Team
Mandy Horton (Chair)

Mandy Horton owns and manages a family farm with her husband Ron near Delegate on the Southern Monaro. After graduating with an Associate Diploma in Farm Secretarial Studies, she worked as a free-lance farm administrator and finance manager around the Monaro, giving her an in-depth knowledge of this regions wide variety of farming businesses. Mandy has always been involved in the management and everyday operation of the family farming business, which focuses on a self-replacing merino enterprise with some prime lambs and trading cattle. Her skills and knowledge are primarily in this area of farm management, especially farm financial management and livestock production systems.
John Murdoch

John Murdoch CA GAICD (B. Comm, ANU) (G. dip Accounting, ICAA). John is a joint owner and operator of a family wool, beef and lamb producing enterprise on the Southern Monaro NSW. John also sits on the Sheep Connect NSW project advisory panel which oversees AWI’s industry extension within NSW. Prior to operating a primary production enterprise, John worked for KPMG specialising in private enterprise and government body governance, performance and compliance. John is graduate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. John has a depth of experience in pasture based livestock finishing systems and sustainable livestock grazing enterprises.
John Jeffreys

John is a 5th generation farmer on the Monaro. He received his Bachelor of Agribusiness from the University of Sydney and now owns and operates Delegate Station Pastoral Company with brother, Will. Delegate Station primarily breeds and finishes prime lambs in addition to cropping. John volunteers for the Bombala Junior Rugby League and supports various community organisations
Lisa Phillips
Owen Smith

Owen holds a Bachelor of Management in Farm Business (The University of Sydney). He is a farm manager based in Corowa NSW. He works for a family owned company that operate mixed farms spread through Southern NSW and Victoria. With the help of his family, Owen also owns and operates a wool and beef enterprise south-east Adaminaby, on the Monaro.
Darcy Larritt
Warwick Badgery (Industry Director)

Dr Warwick Badgery, (B Wool & Pasture Science Hon (Uni of NSW), PhD (Uni of Sydney) is the Rangelands and Tropical Pastures research leader with NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). He has worked with DPI for 13 years conducting research on grazing management, farming systems, pasture agronomy, soil carbon and weed management. Warwick is currently the Program Leader of the Feed Base theme for the National Livestock Productivity Partnership. Previously he was the site leader for the Orange EverGraze Proof site and has worked on an ACIAR project examining the sustainable development of grazing systems in Western China. He is passionate about improving farm management practices to enhance profitability and address environmental issues.
Julie Schofield (Industry Director)

Julie is a Director of Boyce Chartered Accountants in Cooma, NSW.
Julie has a long history with Boyce, joining in 1998 as a Cadet whilst completing a degree in Business (Accounting and Business Management) through Charles Sturt University, via distance education.
Julie grew up on the family farm near Boorowa and has always had a keen interest in rural affairs. She sits on the board of the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW which is the body that governs the country shows in NSW.
Julie spent three years assisting to produce the firm’s Grazing Comparative Analysis report and has also been involved in training clients in the use of Phoenix accounting software.
More recently, Julie has completed further study to become authorised to provide strategic superannuation advice to clients. She is passionate about providing the highest level of service to clients and excited to be able to make a difference to their lives through superannuation planning.
Richard Simpson (Industry Director)

Richard Simpson is a scientist based in Canberra with CSIRO Agriculture and Food. His research has spanned many areas of pasture production including issues of management, botanical composition, feeding value for livestock, plant nutrition and fertiliser use. He has provided agronomic support for the development of tools such as GrassGro which are used widely in Australia’s grazing industries and is co-author of a soil phosphorus management package (Five Easy Steps…). His recent research has been focussed on improving the effectiveness of fertiliser use, the phosphorus-efficiency of grassland production, soil biology and root health, and grazing land capability and sustainability with the objective of lifting productivity and sustainability of farm management practices.
Frances Lomas (Executive Officer)

Frances holds a GradD Business Administration, she is a certified member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and is a qualified Mediator. She began her career in the former Bombala Council, before moving out of the area to enhance her skills and knowledge within local government. Since that time, Frances has held senior positions with the peak industry bodies of the Law Council of Australia and the Australian Medical Association primarily in governance, compliance and human resource management.
Growing up on the Monaro, she is aware of the challenges facing the region and is passionate about the opportunities that can exist for rural and regional areas in Australia. She sits on the board of the Bombala & District Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the community.
Rebecca Kading (Finance Manager/Project Officer)

Rebecca has been a part of the MFS team for almost five years. She lives in Delegate and her family has a long history of farming in the area. She is an experienced administrator and bookkeeper and is currently working towards her Diploma of Accounting. She volunteers as the treasurer of the Delegate R.S.L sub-Branch along with various other community organisations and also has three young children to keep her on her toes.