Martin Murray

Martin is a grey haired but young farmer from North West NSW and an advocate for Australian Ag. Martin is the chair of the NSW Farmers Young Farmer Council and has represented Aus Ag at the GFFA in Berlin and the WFF in Rome. Back on the farm Martin is passionate about integrating technology to drive productivity and profitability.

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David Jochinke

David Jochinke, commonly referred to as 'DJ', is a third generation dryland mixed farmer. DJ operates his family's property in the Wimmera, Victoria, producing various broadacre crops and finishing prime lambs. He has been heavily involved at all levels of farmer advocacy since finishing his Diploma of Applied Science (Ag Services) at Longerenong College.

DJ was elected as President of the National Farmers’ Federation in October 2023 after serving as Vice President and Director for numerous years. He is the immediate past President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, is a Board Member of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and current chair of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism.

DJ is past recipient of a Nuffield Australia Scholarship and the Australian Rural Leadership Program, as well as an active contributor to his local community. He holds membership of numerous committees including Wimmera Machinery Field Days, the Wallup Ag Group, the Northern Wimmera CFA Brigade, Longerenong College, Telstra Victoria Rural Advisory Committee and Birchip Cropping Group.

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Nicole Yazbek-Martin

Nicole is an executive at ASFI leading the development of sustainable finance standards to increase capital flows to the climate transition and embed them into market practice. Notably, Nicole led the development of the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy working closely with government and regulators to develop common definitions for investible economic activities that substantially contribute to a Paris-aligned net zero transition. Drawing on this work she leads our international harmonisation agenda to shape a credible global standard for taxonomies and transition finance. Nicole has a background in climate and sustainability in government, banking, private equity, and law. She has deep knowledge and experience working across the finance value chain on structuring sustainable lending, assessing sustainable investment credentials and applying key sustainability frameworks. In the public sector, she led major climate and nature policies including representing the Australian Government on the steering committee of the Taskforce on Nature-related Finance Disclosures and has led a statutory review of the Australian Government’s carbon credit market (the Emissions Reduction Fund). Nicole holds a BA(LLB) law degree from the University of Cape Town and a Master of Laws (LLM) in international trade from the University of Melbourne. She also holds post-graduate qualifications in finance and economics from the Australian National University.

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Tanya Nagle

Tanya Nagle is a leading advocate for agricultural education and career awareness, with more than 20 years’ experience spanning research, extension, and stakeholder engagement across Australia and New Zealand. She brings deep expertise in beef, dairy, sheep and poultry production, and has worked extensively with producers, industry bodies, and schools to promote a future-focused and informed agricultural workforce. As General Manager of Media and Community Engagement at AgForce Queensland, Tanya leads strategy and delivery for the nationally recognised School to Industry Partnership Program (SIPP). The program supports teachers across Queensland with practical, curriculum-aligned resources and confidence to deliver meaningful food and fibre education—from P-12. Tanya and her team work closely with schools, industry, and regional communities to ensure students not only understand where their food and fibre comes from, but also see viable and exciting careers across the agricultural supply chain. Before joining AgForce, Tanya held extension roles with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the national poultry industry, where she led the expansion of agricultural education competitions. She has also worked in scientific and technical roles at leading animal science institutions in both Australia and New Zealand. Tanya is currently completing a PhD exploring Queensland primary school teachers’ understanding of agriculture. Her passion lies in delivering real-world agricultural experiences that stick with students—and in supporting teachers to deliver them with confidence.

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Marcus Thompson

Marcus Thompson transforms how Australia talks about farming and regional issues, turning complex agricultural policy into compelling human stories that put rural communities at the center of national conversation. As founder of HCN Agency,the official creative partner of the National Farmers’ Federation, Marcus leads strategic campaigns across agriculture, infrastructure and sport for clients including the NFF, AFL, Downer and Netafim. His approach bridges the gap between policy makers and the public by crafting campaigns that showcase the real people behind Australia’s primary industries. Marcus brings over 20 years of editorial expertise from major media outlets where he shaped stories as an editor and executive producer at the ABC, BBC, Vice and The Guardian. His regional journalism with the ABC earned him Walkley Award recognition and deep insight into the challenges facing rural Australia. This unique combination of high-level media experience and on-ground regional knowledge enables HCN to reposition farming voices from the margins to the mainstream, ensuring Australia’s agricultural sector has the narrative power to match its economic importance.

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Brooke Watts​

Brooke is a dynamic agribusiness professional dedicated to driving innovation and fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders. Growing up on her family farm in Molong, NSW, Brooke developed a deep passion for sustainable farming systems, agtech adoption, and industry engagement. She is the co-founder of The UpGen Project, an initiative designed to connect and empower young people in agriculture. Brooke is successfully bridging the gap between students and the agricultural industry in a range of ongoing initiatives.

Brooke's expertise spans marketing, network development, and strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening rural industries. Recognised as a finalist for Western NSW Outstanding Young Business Leader of the Year and CSU Young Alumni of the Year, Brooke is committed to shaping the future of agribusiness through collaboration and creative problem-solving.

At AgXchange Australia, Brooke will share insights on the power of youth engagement, the role of emerging technologies in agriculture, and strategies to future-proof farming businesses in an evolving landscape.

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Olly 'Blogs' Harrison

Farmer and entrepreneur Olly Harrison is the face behind popular YouTube channel Olly Blogs Agricontract. The daily videos, which he started in lockdown, provide a glimpse into the real-world challenges and triumphs of farming, marked by a touch of humour and diversification tales to fund his machinery and tractor addiction!

Olly's online presence reaches over 350,000 across his social channels, 110,000 of which are on YouTube. His 1500+ videos have been watched over 77 million times, where he shares insights, experiences, and challenges faced in the agricultural industry.

Olly's content resonates with both farming enthusiasts and those curious about the intricacies of rural life. Never afraid to speak out about the industry, he achieved the DLG accolade of ‘International Agricultural Influencer for YouTube’ and was recognised as an NFU Community Farming Hero. His ability to explain the complexities of farming in straightforward language has made him a regular contributor across BBC channels, including BBC News and BBC Radio 4.

The farming business in 2024 has 14 different income streams, from ‘dog walking fields’, to chipping wood for biomass, to a merchandise operation that grossed over £100,000 in 2023 alone. With a truly diverse range of activities, Olly, who left school at 16 having struggled with dyslexia, has grown his farming acreage from 180 to 1500. From traditional crops to sunflower mazes, office rental and holiday lets, Olly will always find a brilliant way to commercially exploit his land and assets. He promised himself that by the age of 40 he’d own a brand new combine harvester, and having achieved that he then decided to drive his Claas Lexion combine from John O’Groats to Land’s End, all in the name of charity!

Olly is not just about farming, his dedication extends to charitable contributions that exceed £450,000 to date. From his tractor runs through Liverpool, to the YouTube channel’s ‘birthday bumper’, many have benefited from his fundraising, including Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the North West Air Ambulance. As recognition of his continued hard work, Olly has been made a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside.

Olly is engaged to Charlotte and has three children. He’s promised to leave one farm to each of them as he continues to build his farming empire. His unique blend of farming wisdom, humour, and community engagement has garnered him a dedicated following, where his impact extends beyond the fields, making him a notable figure not only in agriculture but also in charitable endeavours across the UK.

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Emily Buddle

Curiosity and connection drive Dr. Emily Buddle’s research. As a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide - and a farm business owner herself — she explores the social and ethical dimensions of agriculture, food, and science. Using qualitative methods, Emily delves into the everyday realities of agri-CULTURE, bringing together lived experience and academic research to better understand the people, values, and practices shaping rural and regional landscapes.

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Kristy O'Brien

Journalist Kristy O’Brien has been involved in the production of factual television for more than 15 years, travelling across remote parts of Australia, India, Africa, China and South East Asia with a content focus on trade, international relations and agriculture. Her main focus now is as the West Australian/ Northern Territory Reporter and stand in Presenter for flagship ABC program ‘Landline’, ‘Backroads’ and ‘Movin' to the Country’. Previously she worked in the fast-paced world of news as a Reporter, Chief of Staff and Producer at the Seven Network and ABC.

At the ABC, Brooke has also produced stories for Australian Story, 7:30 and ‘Old People’s Home for Teenagers’. Recently, she also provided journalistic insight and narration on the hit Netflix series ‘Last Stop Larrimah’. In 2025 she was named the National Rural Press Club Journalist of the year. In addition to this she was also the overall NT/ SA Rural Media Journalist of the Year and Best Radio Journalist & Best Broadcast Journalist. Kristy has worked on several independent documentaries and was awarded the Access@AIDC internship as Australia’s emerging young Producer in 2014. As part of this award she went to London to work with Jamie Oliver’s Fresh One Productions as a Producer/ Field Director.

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Sam Turner

Sam is a Senior Business Analyst at AAM Investment Group where he leads a team of analysts across diverse agricultural assets, spanning cattle, sheep, poultry, timber, and cropping. His role focuses on driving operational performance, streamlining processes, and delivering strategic insights through financial modelling, forecasting, and project coordination.

Although Sam grew up in Brisbane and didn’t come from a farming background, he developed a strong passion for agriculture through school holiday trips to family friends' farms in Southwest Queensland, where he helped with general farm work and gained an appreciation for rural life. This led him to study Agricultural Science and Agribusiness at The University of Queensland. During his studies, Sam spent a year at Stanbroke’s Augustus Downs Station in the Gulf of Queensland, followed by two years working in production coordination at their Grantham processing facility, gaining valuable experience in red meat processing and scheduling.

Sam's career has spanned the entire red meat supply chain, from practical station work and red meat processing, to international trade through AAM’s live export operations, and now business analysis and strategy from the Brisbane head office. He's also been fortunate to gain global perspectives on agriculture through Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) tours to the US, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan.

Sam is currently part of the 2025 National Agricultural Leadership Program (NALP), which has deepened his interest in agricultural policy and its impact on producers. He see's AgXchange Australia as a key platform to share ideas, build connections, and help shape the future of Australian agriculture.

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Samantha Longmore

Sam Longmore is a powerhouse of rural resilience, rolling through life (literally) with humour, grit, and an impressive resume of entrepreneurial ventures. Based in regional NSW, Sam runs multiple rural businesses including a contract weed spraying operation, a mobile bar business, and a wool based creative brand that blends large scale knitting with motivational workshops.

After a life changing accident over a decade ago, Sam navigates the world in a wheelchair with a spinal cord injury and one functioning arm and a seriously unstoppable attitude. Her lived experience of disability, combined with a deep understanding of the agricultural industry, fuels her passion for creating inclusive, practical conversations around innovation, community, and mental health in the bush.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Counselling and recently launched ‘With Sam’; a coaching and mentoring space that blends counselling, storytelling, and rural lived experience. She’s a proud representative of Disabled Water Ski Australia, training for the 2025 World Championships, and a passionate advocate for adaptive sports in regional communities.

At AgXchange, Sam brings honest, down-to-earth insights into rural business ownership, the realities of farming with a disability, and why sometimes your best business plan starts with a ball of wool and a wild idea. Her sessions aren’t just talks, they’re yarns worth listening to.

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Gillian Fennell

Gillian is an authentic agfluencer & industry leader with over 20 years experience in the beef cattle industry. Her background as a cattle producer from one of the most isolated areas of Australia gives her a unique perspective on the power and possibilities of social media in the agricultural industry. Gillian's time spent serving on industry boards and committees at a local, state and national level has given her a deep understanding of all aspects of the industry she loves.

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Dr Tim Driscoll

Dr Tim Driscoll is a Clinical Psychologist and State Manager for Mental Health at the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), where he leads the strategic delivery of mental health and wellbeing services across rural and remote Queensland. With a strong focus on community connection, access, and cultural responsiveness, Tim works to ensure that even the most isolated regions have support systems that are practical, sustainable, and grounded in local context.

Raised in regional Western Australia, Tim brings both lived experience and clinical insight to his work. He has led a range of initiatives addressing mental health needs in farming communities. His work spans program design, disaster recovery, workforce development, and mental health literacy—often in places where the paddock and the clinic are separated by hours of red dirt.

Tim is passionate about strengthening mental health support in the agricultural sector, recognising the unique pressures faced by primary producers, including drought, isolation, succession stress, and the ever-changing economic landscape. He regularly collaborates with agribusiness, community leaders, and government to advocate for services that make sense on the ground.

At AgXchange Australia, Tim is keen to share insights from the frontline, learn from others driving change in rural industries, and champion the role of mental health in building resilient, future-focused agricultural communities.

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Rachel Mackenzie

Rachel Mackenzie has been CEO of Berries Australia since February 2019. Berries Australia was set up in November 2018 to promote the interests of the strawberry, blueberry and raspberry and blackberry industries, which combined are worth $1.3 billion/annum and represent the single largest fresh produce category in Australian supermarkets. Under her leadership, Berries Australia is delivering major projects to service the Australian Berry industries including the highly successful communications and industry development project and export market access projects both funded by Hort Innovation. Berries Australia recently held their bi-annual BerryQuest International Conference in Tasmania, which was attended by more than 500 delegates. Prior to Berries Australia, Rachel was the Chief Advocate at Growcom (now Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers). Rachel Mackenzie was awarded the national Women in Horticulture Award at the 2018 Horticulture Connections conference in recognition of her contribution to the sector.

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