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Research, development and extension (RD&E) and capacity building

RMCG supports clients including Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs), government, and agribusiness to convert research into practice.

We work with clients to ensure that research, development and extension (RD&E) programs are efficient and achieve outcomes.

Our work includes RD&E program design, prioritisation, planning, management and delivery. Our projects encompass many aspects of industry development including markets, business, people, biosecurity, natural environment and production.

We work collaboratively with our clients to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of RD&E programs and to ultimately deliver benefits for farmers.

Our strength is our combined technical and business knowledge. By integrating our skills, we link resource management to productivity, health and profitability. This means we can take a holistic view and support decision making in the context of the farm, region or industry that we are working in.

The agriculture team are experienced at converting research outcomes into practical information and facilitating farmer discussion groups.  We support farmers and their advisors to trial new practices, solve problems and implement changes.

Team

Dr Anne-Maree Boland

Dr Anne-Maree Boland

Principal

PhD., B.Ag.Sci.

Anne-Maree has 25 years’ experience in dealing with natural resource and water management in agricultural industries. This has included research and development and consulting in the areas of sustainable management practices, water use efficiency, recycled water and environmental management systems. Anne-Maree has been a Non-Executive Director for GWRDC and IAL, is a Churchill Fellow and recipient of the University of Melbourne Chancellors Prize. She has extensive experience as a knowledge broker and establishing partnerships with diverse stakeholder groups including government, water and agricultural industries.

Dr Doris Blaesing

Dr Doris Blaesing

Associate

Dipl.Ing.Agr., Dr.rer.hort.

Doris has extensive experience in agricultural business development, resource management and R&D. She has a good understanding of agricultural production systems and supply chains. Her strengths are strategy and concept development, innovative thinking, problem solving, multi-disciplinary project management and communication on all levels with a broad range of people. Doris worked in public and private research, education, export and agribusinesses.

Dr Kristen Stirling

Dr Kristen Stirling

Associate

PhD., B.Ag.Sci.

Kristen is an experienced researcher and industry development specialist. She successfully combines project management skills and technical expertise to deliver projects in agriculture and water related industries. She enjoys working with landholders and large organizations to inform and clarify decision-making. Areas of expertise include strategic planning, stakeholder consultation and program evaluation.

Donna Lucas

Donna Lucas

Principal

B.App.Sci. (Hons)

Donna is an agricultural consultant with experience in business management, research and extension. She is adaptable with an ability to contribute to projects at a strategic level.
Donna has specialist knowledge in workforce development and planning, resource recovery, carbon farming, greenhouse gas/carbon accounting and project evaluation. Her strengths include driving execution, building connections and problem solving.

Charles Thompson

Charles Thompson

Senior Fellow

B.Sci. (Ag.) (Hons), CPAg.

Charles has 20 years consulting experience and over 25 years’ experience in farm business and natural resource management. This includes water quality, salinity, irrigation, drainage, horticulture, community consultation and extension. His special fields of competence technical resource assessment; extension and advisory services to horticulture and agriculture; nutrients and water quality; and benchmarking horticultural enterprise management.

Jencie McRobert

Jencie McRobert

Associate

B.Sci., Grad.Dip.Eco., Assoc.App.Sci.

Jencie understands the science and economics of natural resource management and has grounded and practical experience in soils, mixed farming and viticulture. She has highly developed skills in evaluation of agricultural and natural resource management programs, business case writing, greenhouse emissions analysis and sustainable resource use, and catchment management.  Jencie knows and appreciates the issues affecting communities in rural and regional Australia.

Carl Larsen

Carl Larsen

Associate

B.Env.Sci., B.Soc.Sci. (Env.), PG.Cert.CCPI.

Carl is a socio-environmental scientist with 15 years’ experience in planning, delivery and evaluation of agriculture and natural resource management programs, integrated water management, climate change and stakeholder engagement. He understands the practical implications of policy and science on communities and agriculture. Carl has worked with a range of government departments, resource management agencies, research and development corporations, private organisations and communities around Australia on catchment management, sustainable water use, resource management in agriculture/horticulture, land use, climate change, strategic planning, industry development, extension and practice change.

Clinton Muller

Clinton Muller

Senior Consultant

M.Sust.Ag., B.Bus. (Hons), B.A.

Clinton has extensive experience in sustainable agriculture, with a specialist focus on horticulture and intensive production systems. With a strong agricultural industry focus, Clinton has worked across a range of agricultural commodities and natural resource management issues in Australia and internationally.  Clinton’s diverse range of capacities including program design and management, stakeholder engagement, partnership management, monitoring evaluation and reporting, extension, facilitation, action research and science communication.

Morag Anderson

Morag Anderson

Consultant

BSc (Hons), Dip.Proj.Mgmnt

Morag is an experienced project manager, with a great ability to synthesise technical information and communicate it to a wide audience.  She has a great understanding of regulatory processes. She also brings critical thinking and an awareness of individual differences and needs to projects.  She has a science background with a broad understanding of environmental disciplines.

Dr Claire Feniuk

Dr Claire Feniuk

Senior Consultant

PhD, MSc., BSc. (Hons)

Claire is passionate about working on the interface between research, policy and practice to support sustainable land management. Through her research and policy experience, Claire has gained insight into a wide range of approaches to agriculture and natural resource management worldwide and brings an international perspective to our team.