National Farmers' Federation

about the national farmers' federation

Meet our Board

The National Farmers’ Federation Board was elected on 24 November 2016 and has responsibility for the day-to-day management of the organisation.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Board is comprised of the NFF President and NFF Vice-President, along with five Directors, all elected annually by the Members’ Council. The NFF Board has responsibility for the day-to-day management of the organisation, including: 

Oversight of the NFF’s annual budget; implementing and setting priorities for the NFF Business Plan; establishing committees and taskforces; receiving advice from the Members’ Council, Policy Committees and the NFF Secretariat; and appointing the Chief Executive Officer.

Two independent Directors may be appointed by the Board, as required, to ensure the necessary balance of skills.

Our Board members

Hamish McIntyre

President
Hamish McIntyre has been Managing Director of McIntyre Agriculture since 1996, a family owned farming and livestock business he runs with his wife, Mary and three sons, Stirling, Finlay and Campbell. The business comprises 143,800ha of grazing, dryland farming and irrigation country situated in the St George, Dirranbandi and Quilpie districts.

John Hassell

Vice President
John Hassell is a broad acre cropping farmer in Pingelly WA. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) Degree from Curtin University. John has been a member of the WA Farmers for 30 years where he has sat on the board before becoming general president in 2021.

Georgie Somerset

Director
Georgie Somerset grows beef in Queensland’s South Burnett region with her husband Robert and their family. Ensuring we have a sustainable agricultural industry and support future generations are key interests.

Ben Bennett

Director
Ben Bennett is a Victorian dairy farmer with over 30 years’ experience in agriculture and national representation. He serves as President of Australian Dairy Farmers and Chair of the Australian Dairy Industry Council, advocating for farmers and processors in policy, trade and sustainability forums. Ben is committed to evidence based reform, regional resilience and inclusive decision making.

Peter Herrmann

Director
Peter Herrmann has been involved in the rice industry and the Rice Growers Aassociation for decades. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (2A Hons Environmental Law) from the Australian National University. Peter runs a mixed farming operation of rice, sheep, and walnuts at Murrami NSW. Peter has a passion for enhancing land and water use to create abundance, along with better Public Policy outcomes.

Mark Horan

Director
Mark Horan is a cattle producer in New South Wales’ Southern Tablelands. Mark has held numerous positions on various boards, government committees, community banking sectors and in local government. Mark is a staunch supporter of agriculture in all its forms and has a particular interest in meaningful policy development. Mark previously served on the NFF Board from 2014-2017.

Tracy Sullivan

Director
Tracy Sullivan is a widely experienced cattle veterinarian who deeply understands beef production from paddock to plate. She has worked across many aspects of the beef supply chain, from a grassroots beef producer to a veterinary consultant, and in industry and government roles. Tracy is a graduate of NFF’s Diversity in Agriculture Leadership program.