Liz Pearson has joined MLA's Feedlot program team as the Feedlot Project Manager. As she settles into her new role, where she'll be assisting with the research, development and adoption projects in the sector, we took the opportunity to find out more about her.
Where did your love of the red meat industry come from?
Growing up and working on our family property in New England, I have had a love for cattle from a young age. My Dad is a livestock agent, and I was always by his side at every chance I got.
I've been fully engaged with the process from selecting sires, joining and production through to the marketing of our cattle. We want to ensure we're as productive as possible, while also delivering cattle that hit the top of the grid and ultimately meet the needs of the customer.
What industry experience did you gain before joining MLA?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Agribusiness from the University of New England and then headed south to Jindalee Feedlot, which at the time was owned by Cargill Beef Limited, kicking off my love of the lot feeding industry.
I moved from there to Elanco Animal Health as the Southern Feedlot Sales Manager. This role fully cemented my passion for the lot feeding sector and opened my eyes and mind to what was possible, as well as the data collection and precision of this section of the beef value chain.
I then spent much of my red meat industry career with Angus Australia, developing and managing the Commercial Supply Chain (CSC) program under the guidance of then CEO, Peter Parnell.
The CSC program handled the verification of commercial Angus brand claims, Verified Black Angus Beef, including auditing and training with lot feeders and processors and support of domestic and international beef sales and marketing throughout North American, the Middle East, South-East Asia, Europe and China.
The CSC program also supported Angus breed claims of commercial Angus cattle with the development of the Angus Verified program.
Why did you want to take the MLA role of Feedlot Project Manager?
Having already spent over 20 years in the feedlot industry, I've realised that a key component that I love is the people. When I saw this role come up, I jumped at the chance and applied immediately.
The majority of my career in the commercial beef sector has been spent predominantly in production, marketing and sales roles, but I haven't been as involved in the R&D side of things.
I pride myself on having a comprehensive knowledge of the beef value chain and being able to fill that knowledge gap in R&D for me will allow me to continue growing my passion for the lot feeding sector.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of the cattle and red meat industry?
I am an extroverted introvert, so while I enjoy getting out and about, I really enjoy spending some quiet time at home with my Miniature Schnauzer, Maggie, along with being around family and friends.
I enjoy photography and take the opportunity to indulge in this when I can, entering a few competitions with some success.
