Andrew Ritchie

Andrew joined JRL Hall and Co (now Icon Agriculture) in 1998 as a farm management consultant and has 16 years experience in farm management consulting, where he has developed an interest in farm business benchmarking and system and enterprise analysis.

In 2004 Andrew lead a consortium of consultants to develop the highly regarded “The Sheep’s Back” programme fund by Australian Wool Innovation that still exists in Western Australia as a grower group network dedicated to dissemination of sheep and wool information.

In 2011 Andrew completed the purchase of JRL Hall & Co and renamed the firm Icon Agriculture to better reflect the integrated nature of the consulting profession. Icon Agriculture is a farm management firm based in the higher rainfall zone of WA with specialist interest in sheep systems that form the dominant part of his clients land use.

He brings to Icon a unique blend of extensive farm management consulting experience and understanding of the research experience, particularly focussing on areas of wool quality and breeding, production skills, textiles understanding and farm management skills. This now places him in a unique position to draw all aspects of the sheep and wool industry together.

Prior to joining JRL Hall & Co (Icon Agriculture), Andrew took up a position as technical officer with the Department of Agriculture’s Sheep and Wool branch in 1990 before securing a role as a research officer specialising in wool production and quality, based in Katanning, WA.

During this period he conducted research on the accumulation of vegetable matter in summer-shorn clips and in conjunction with Dr Peter Doyle examined the role of sulphur in lupin supplementation rations on wool production.

Andrew then assumed responsibility for the development the Staple Strength Resource Flocks which became an invaluable tool of the CRC for Premium Quality Wool, and contributed greatly to our present understanding of the biology and metrology of staple strength. This involved leading a large team of staff, developing industry relationships in order to secure the sheep, and screening over 20 000 animals.

In 1995 he won the prestigious Ministerial (Dept of Agriculture, WA) and Tetley (University of Leeds) Scholarships which allowed him to undertake a Masters Degree in Textile Science at the University of Leeds, which was awarded with Distinction in 1996.

Upon his return to Australia he was appointed as project manager for the Department of Agriculture’s sheep breeding project, within the then Wool Program, and resumed development and management of the Staple Strength Resource Flocks.

Mark Allington

Mark Allington joined Icon Agriculture in January 2013. He developed an interest in agriculture, particularly Merino sheep, while being raised on a mixed farm in Three Springs.

Mark attended UWA where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, graduating in 2011.  Apart from the networks developed during this time, Mark also completed an honours project which was titled ‘Merino Ewes with Higher Breeding Values for Clean Fleece Weight Are More Efficient at Producing Wool’.

Since joining Icon Agriculture, Mark has shown a keen interest in farm business benchmarking and enterprise analysis, in particular, the profitability of the Merino enterprise and how this fits into the whole farm business.

Relatively new to farm management consulting, Mark is very much looking forward to not only working with farmers but also overcoming any challenges that may be facing the industry.

He is passionate and dedicated towards finding ways to maintain the sustainability and profitability of farm businesses.

Bob Hall

Bob has been a farm management consultant for over 50 years mainly through his own company, JRL Hall & Co, Farm Management Consultants, which in 2014 was sold to Andrew Ritchie of Icon Agriculture.

Bob’s impressive list of achievements, in addition to many years of consulting include:

• Previous Managing Director of three large syndicated farming operations running a total of 57,500 Merino sheep for wool production and cropping 3,800 hectares. Also managed for seven years 31,000 Merino wethers for a syndicate farm. One of these farms situated at Westonia gave firsthand experience in dealing with farming in marginal rainfall country.
• Foundation Member of the Australian Merino Society, instrumental in the founding of the first ram breeding co-operative.
• Co-founder of the Federation of Performance Sheep Breeders, WA.
• Formulation and running of the Yardstick Central Sire Evaluation Scheme in Western Australia.
• In the early 1970’s developed local wool testing as a service to ram producing clients to extend the message of measurement and testing to all local ram breeders.
• In conjunction with the Wool Agency Company, developed a wool clip analysis which still leads the field in its content and utility.
• Worked with the Kondinin Group on the publications on shearing shed and yard design.
• Past Committee Member with the West Australian State Advisory Committee to the Australian Wool Preparation & Wool Harvesting Programme in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
• Worked with the Australian Broadcasting Commission as compare of two major four-part TV programmes in the 1970’s titled “The Sheep’s Back” and “The Sheep Machine”. Apart from compare, he had a high level of input into the content of these programmes.
• Was instrumental in the formation of the first farmer group to achieve ISO 9002 accreditation for wool production and marketing in 1997. Quality Manager of Darkan Wool Marketing Group.
• In the early 1970’s, ran one of the first comparative Wether Trials in Western Australia.
• Has lectured widely throughout Australia on modern sheep husbandry, labour efficiency, sheep facilities, breeding and genetics. Lecture tours have been to New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
• A leading Farm Management Consultant in Western Australia with expertise especially in sheep.
• Co-author “Sheep –The simple guide to making more money with less work”