E.W. Stevens Scholarship | Primary Producers SA

Caroline Rhodes

Chief Executive Officer

Caroline Rhodes has served as PPSA’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer since November 2021. She brings more than two decades of agribusiness experience, having held senior roles across the public and private sectors and with State and national farmer representative organisations, including the former South Australian Farmers’ Federation and the Grains Council of Australia.

Before joining PPSA, Caroline was Chief Executive Officer of Grain Producers SA. She brings extensive experience in strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, regulatory affairs and industry advocacy.

Caroline also has significant corporate governance experience and serves on a range of industry and community boards. Her board appointments include the Australian Farm Institute, South Australian Cricket Association, Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority and Foodbank South Australia.

She holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Adelaide, a Master of Agribusiness from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Caroline is also a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and the Challenge of Rural Leadership Course in the United Kingdom. She lives on a small rural property in the Adelaide Hills.

Cam Parker

Policy Director

With experience as a primary producer in two states, advocacy and policy experience in a major State Farming Organisation, and a career in major food retail and supply chains, Cam brings a wealth of real-world perspective and knowledge to PPSA and South Australia. Cam was most recently Grains Policy Director with AgForce Queensland, representing the interests of Queensland’s broadacre farmers and graziers across numerous cross-commodity issues including successfully navigating the COVID-19 impacts on producers and contractors.

Cam brings a strong understanding of various production systems, national agricultural advocacy bodies, and the workings of both state and federal governments. He is an alumni of agricultural industry leadership programs and is active in giving back to the industry via formal and informal mentoring.

Greg Cock

NRM Liaison Officer

Greg has had three decades of public sector roles in land, water and biodiversity management. He published studies on land and water management along the River Murray, played a significant role in the ‘Decade of Landcare’ and worked on integrating resource management legislation, which led to the NRM and subsequent Landscape Act. Greg had a pivotal role in the government’s millennium drought response program.

Prior to joining Primary Producers SA he contracted to Livestock SA, contributing to delivery of a Murray Darling Basin environmental watering project through the Department of Environment and Water. He is a current Board member of the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board and Director and part owner of a private wetland complex off the River Murray.

Alyssa Stockwell

Business Manager/EO for EW Stevens Trust

Alyssa Stockwell joined PPSA from the Livestock SA and South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association Secretariat in January 2022. She manages PPSA’s finances and serves as Executive Officer of the EW Stevens Trust.

Alyssa has played a significant role in establishing and strengthening PPSA’s corporate governance, financial management and business processes. Her part-time appointment has supported high standards of compliance, accountability and risk management, including the administration of externally funded projects.

Alyssa is a Certified Practising Accountant.

William Gillett

Intern

William is originally from Loxton in the Riverland and has a deep interest in the issues affecting South Australia’s agriculture sector. William previously completed a 12-month traineeship with Member for Chaffey, Tim Whetstone MP where he also gained a Certificate III in Business through TafeSA. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Business (Economics, Finance & Trade) through the University of South Australia and is a Hawker Scholar residing at St Marks College.

Professor simon maddocks

Chair / PPSA

Simon has a long career in education and research with a focus on agricultural and biomedical science applications. He was Vice Chancellor of Charles Darwin University from 2014 to 2020 and prior to that a Professor of Animal Science and Director, Roseworthy Campus at the University of Adelaide. He has also been the Chief Scientist, Livestock & Farming Systems and Director, Science Partnerships with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI).

Simon is a passionate advocate of the role education plays in assisting people to capitalise on their inherent potential. He believes quality research and innovation is the key to a productive and sustainable economy.

Simon’s extensive leadership experience at senior levels of both academia and government has awarded him an international research reputation in agricultural and biomedical science. He also holds a strong record of working closely with industry partners including Cooperative Research Centres and with organisations such as the Menzies Foundation.

Adrian McCabe

Chair / Grain Producers SA

Adrian is a grain grower at Hamley Bridge. His family has been farming in the Mid North since 1956 and also farms on the western slopes of New South Wales. Adrian was appointed to the GPSA Board in December 2016, held the position of Vice Chair from 2018, and became GPSA Chair in 2020. Adrian is passionate about advancing the grain industry’s sustainability agenda and promoting the grain industry as a major contributor to the state’s economy.

Jordan Brooke-Barnett

Deputy Chair / Horticulture Coalition of South Australia

Jordan is Chief Executive Officer of the South Australian vegetable industry association AUSVEG SA which represents the interests of South Australia’s $2 billion vegetable sector. Jordan is a passionate advocate for the South Australian horticultural industry and in his current role has overseen the roll out of a number of R&D and business capability building programs such as export development and innovation training programs to benefit industry.

Joe Keynes

Livestock SA Member

Joe is a partner in Keyneton Station, a family farming business based in the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges and South East, grazing Merino sheep, Angus cattle and first-cross lambs. Joe has a long involvement in regional and state organisations including the Natural Resources Management Council and the SA Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board. Joe has been a director on WoolProducers Australia and is the current chair of the PPSA Natural Resources Committee.

John Hunt

President / South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association

John and wife Karen are equity managers in a 600-cow dairy situated in the Lower South East and co-own a neighbouring 240-cow dairy with John’s brother. They have recently purchased an adjoining 75 hectares, with plans to convert it to a 250-cow dairy. John joined SADA in 2013 with a keen interest in helping facilitate the next generation of dairy farmers; protecting the farmer’s right to farm; securing profitability in the industry and establishing more transparency in industry-relevant government policy and planning. John is secretary of PPSA.

Nathan Paine

Chief Executive Officer /
South Australian Forest Products Association

Nathan has been at the forefront of industry advocacy for two decades, driving debate and influencing public policy at the highest levels of state and federal government. He has represented diverse industries from property, motor trades, concrete and cement, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and now forestry. As CEO of SAFPA, Nathan is the chief political advocate for the South Australia’s forest products industry.

Adrian Hoffman

Chair / Wine Grape Council of SA

Adrian is a fifth generation Barossa Grape grower. Adrian grew the vineyard from a modest 15ha in 1992 to currently just over 75ha. Adrian, his wife April and three children live on the home property purchased back in 1857. Adrian has been actively involved in many industry and regional organisations, including six years on the Board of the Barossa Grape and Wine Association and past chair of Grape Barossa. He is a graduate of the Future Leaders program for the wine industry and is a Baron of the Barossa.

Robert Brokenshire

President / South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association

Robert is a dairy farmer from Mount Compass and former member of the South Australian Parliament. The Brokenshire family currently milk 440 jersey cows and maintain a Jersey Stud breeding from a fourth-generation herd. The dairy is in an expansion stage at the moment and while they milk in a conventional herringbone dairy, they are in the process of upgrading to a high-tech rotary.

In parliament, Robert spent 23 years across a number of roles and as a member of both houses.

John Gladigau

Chair / Grain Producers SA

John is a third-generation farmer in the Northern Mallee region of SA and was a partner in Bulla Burra, a collaborative farm which crops 8,500ha annually to cereals and legumes until 2023. He is also the Creative Director at ifarmwell and works with a number of mental health initiatives across South Australia including Vocal Locals. John is also a 2007 Nuffield Scholar and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Angelo Demasi

Chair / Horticulture Coalition of SA

Angelo Demasi is chief executive officer of the South Australian Produce Market Limited – the state’s premier fresh produce wholesale market servicing all sectors, from growers and wholesalers to the retail and hospitality sector.

With over 30 years’ senior management experience within the fresh produce, meat, bakery, manufacturing, and retail industries, Angelo is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and the Institute of Public Accountants.

Passionate about growing the $1.3 billion horticultural industry in South Australia and for promoting our clean and green pest-free status around the world, Angelo also has extensive experience in exporting to markets in Asia and Europe.

He serves on many boards and committees including the Horticultural Coalition of SA, Northern Economic Leaders and Northern Futures. He is also a member of the Stakeholder Reference Group for the development of a new Biosecurity Act for South Australia.

Gillian Fennell

Chair/ Livestock SA

Gillian Fennell was born and bred in North West Queensland, before moving to SA for more than 20 years ago with her husband and his family. She is now based on a million-acre rangelands Charbray cattle station in the Far North of SA called Lambina Station. Gillian is the SA Representative for Australian Women in Agriculture, a non-profit incorporated organisation established in 1994, and a Cattle Council of Australia board member. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Fiona Rasheed

Senior Policy Officer

Fiona Rasheed is a manager and co-owner of Boolapuckee Pastoral Company at Keilira in the Limestone Coast and an elected member of the Kingston District Council.

She has extensive experience in agricultural advocacy, natural resource management and governance, including previous roles as Chair of the PPSA Natural Resources Management Committee, a Livestock SA representative and Presiding Member of the South East Natural Resources Management Board.

Fiona holds qualifications in law, international studies, environmental management and agribusiness and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Company Directors Course. She has recently completed the Murray-Darling Base Leadership Program.

E.W. Stevens trust fund

2026 scholarship APPLICATION