Jane Wightman

About

Her career began in farming in the UK, before managing dairy farms in New Zealand. She later transitioned into agricultural services after earning a Master of Applied Science in Systems Thinking from Hawkesbury University, Western Sydney. 

It was during this time that Jane was first introduced to the challenges of farming sustainably in Australia and the vital role of research, development, and extension (RD&E) in supporting producers to remain profitable while caring for the environment. She played a key role in delivering the ‘Future Profit’ extension program, which took a whole-farm systems approach to agricultural business management. Her work included supporting beef and wool producers in southwest Queensland and working with dairy farming communities across the state. 

Jane later joined Meat & Livestock Australia as the Grass-Fed Beef Adoption and Innovation Manager, where she worked across both northern and southern beef production systems, enabling innovation and practice change. In recent years, she has focused on the horticultural industry, first as Head of Extension—championing innovative approaches to practice change—and later as Head of Industry Services, where she and her team collaborated with industry to develop annual RD&E investment plans that help growers navigate an increasingly complex operating environment. 

Now, through Jane Wightman Consulting, she collaborates with agricultural service providers to enhance the impact of extension, research, and development. Here Jane continues to focus on facilitating meaningful outcomes that will support producers and the land they farm long into the future.