Remembering an industry giant

Only last year we honoured James’ lifelong contributions – to science, food and fibre production, and people – with a UNE Distinguished Alumni Award. It recognised his extensive industry achievements but also his outstanding leadership, teamwork and mentoring of generations of students.

After completing his PhD at UNE in Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry in 1980 James worked as a Research Fellow in the Dominican Republic as a member of the United Nations Development Program. Then a stint with ICI’s Pharmaceuticals Division (now Astra Zeneca) focused on reducing methane production in ruminants, before James joined the WA Department of Agriculture, where he would eventually lead beef and dairy research from 1987-1994.

James returned to UNE to head the Department of Animal Science from 1994-2001, but it was his role as CEO of the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC) that would define his career. There, over the course of nearly 20 years, he became renowned for his entrepreneurial thinking and talent for uniting researchers, industry and collaborators under a shared vision.

From 2001-19 James fostered cooperation, discoveries and innovations that delivered measurable results for wool and sheep-meat industries. In a profile we shared last year, he reflected that his Rural Science studies at UNE taught him the importance of not only tackling tough research questions but applying research to change agricultural practices.

Under his leadership, the CRC made significant improvements to wool quality, meat quality and farm economics that successfully integrated genomic technologies into commercial sheep breeding to boost productivity and profitability.

James, who received an OAM in 2021 for service to science as a researcher and educator, is remembered for his determination, generosity, energy, wisdom and patience. Many will also fondly recall his South African anecdotes and good humour.

Our thoughts are with James’ family at this difficult time.