Marriot takes on KCA executive role

The role has gone to Catherine Marriot, who is well known in the pastoral industry as a passionate advocate for the sector.

Ms Marriot also developed the Influential Women group, which aims to inspire and empower rural and regional women.

In 2012, Catherine was announced as the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation's Rural Women's Award for WA.

Ms Marriott said she has achieved what she had set out to do with Influential Women, conducting workshops and programs nationally and internationally.

"I am talking to a few people who want to continue on with aspects of Influential Women, such as the mentoring program that involves Indonesian and Australian farming women," she said.

"It may continue but I am not sure at this stage.

"The workshops will not be continuing though."

Ms Marriot replaces Gill Stassen, who stepped down from the position earlier this year.

Ms Marriott said in the next few months she will be looking at a range of opportunities with pastoralists.

"The things that I am looking at exploring with producers are looking at different collaborative models to improve value chain efficiencies and producers' bottom line and I would like to hear from them about different R&D ideas for their own station," she said.

"It is important that we are adding value to the members as well, and I would like to find out what that value looks like to the producers."

Ms Marriott will officially start on September 29, and for the first few months will be meeting with pastoralists and discussing their ideas and concerns about the beef industry.

"I see my role as acting as a conduit to gather information and then feed that back to pastoralists and take action," she said.

"My vision is to create a producer organisation, that genuinely represents producers and is one of the most effective in Australia at developing, protecting and promoting the Kimberly and Pilbara pastoralists.

"I see that the Kimberly and Pilbara are both facing the same challenges and have the same opportunities, they have the same type of people who have a desire to work together to make the industry more sustainable."

Ms Marriott said she also plans to work closely with the Pastoralists and Graziers Association to get the best outcome for northern beef producers.

"I believe the more heads we can pull together, the better off we will be, as everyone will bring a different perspective," she said.

"My role is to facilitate that and make sure everyone feels comfortable having input."

Ms Marriott, originally from rural Victoria, studied a Bachelor of Rural Science at the University of New England.

Since then she has had a career that has taken her across Australia and overseas.

She has worked as a technical consultant for the Australian and Asian beef industries, as well as working in rural communication in Australia and New Zealand.

Moving back to WA, she said she has always been supportive of producers forming a group.

"In May this year I decided I wanted to get back into the cattle industry and work to really add value to grassroots producers in the northern beef industry," she said.

"I wanted to use my skills in the beef and live export industries coupled with my communications, stakeholder engagement, project management, market access and branding to represent what producers want."

The supply group initiative first sought to gain support and input from the community, producers and industry members a few years ago.

In April 2013, pastoralists voted in favour of appointing a northern executive officer to strengthen and improve the profile of the industry.

After years in the making, the KCA officially become an operational incorporated body in April this year.

It also acquired funding opportunities at this time and secured funds through two service agreements with the Department of Agriculture and Food's (DAFWA) Northern Beef Futures and the Rangelands NRM Co-ordinating Group.

The Northern Beef Futures project is a $15 million State Government investment, announced last August, which aims to ensure northern beef producers can take better advantage of growing markets in Asia and the Middle East.

As part of the service agreements, the KCA will implement projects on behalf of Rangelands NRM and Northern Beef Futures.