Director
Melinee Leather
Director of Leather Cattle Co, Member CQ Regional Forum, Member of the Sustainability Steering Group
Melinee Leather is a Director of Leather Cattle Co (LCC), a progressive family-owned beef cattle operation running 5 000 head of cattle across three properties in Central Queensland. Their operation breeds and finishes cattle for the EU, Grasslands and Wagyu markets with a focus on sustainability and how they contribute to global food security and climate action.
About
A key focus for the family business is ongoing research and development. As Project Manager Melinee is responsible for planning and overseeing projects including:
- Registered Soil Carbon Project
- Accounting for Nature Level 3 Soil Assessment for Productive Land (Landcare)
- Australian Government Agricultural Biodiversity Stewardship Pilot Program (BSPP)for Enhancing Remnant Vegetation (ERV).
- Steak ‘n wood: demonstrating livestock productivity and environmental service benefits of trees on farm in northern systems.
- Wild Dog Producer Demonstration Site (PDS)
- Northern Breeding Business (NB2)
Melinee and LCC have been recognised for their excellence in environmental stewardship, animal management and industry advocacy being awarded 2019 Farm Biosecurity Producer of The Year, finalist in the 34th National Banksia Sustainability Awards and finalist in the Queensland Landcare Awards.
Melinee has worked fulltime in the family beef business for 36 years and over the last 16 years has held various director roles within beef and agricultural industry organisations including Australian Beef Sustainability Steering Group, Agforce Queensland, Cattle Council of Australia, Australian Organic Soil Regeneration and Carbon Advisory Committee, Livestock Biosecurity Network, Road Freight Industry Council and Chairperson of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) Farming Systems Committee. Melinee has a Diploma of Rural Business Management and Agriculture and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
