Supporting farming families for 30 years.
Established in 1995, AgEDGE is a member‑owned, not‑for‑profit network helping families navigate strategy, performance, succession, and long‑term direction.
A circle of trusted peers. Not a program.
AgEDGE brings together farming families who want clarity, confidence, and a safe space to work through the realities of running complex modern enterprises. Members share insights, benchmark performance, stress‑test decisions, and support one another through the big calls.
“AgEDGE gives us the confidence to make decisions we’ve been sitting on for years.”
— AgEDGE Member (Merino wool and beef cattle, Armidale NSW)
Established in 1995
AgEDGE has been running continuously since 1995. The model has evolved, but the purpose hasn’t changed:
to empower farming families to progress confidently and pursue their long‑term goals.
Our Vision
To empower farming families to make clear, confident decisions – in business, in succession, and in life.
AgEDGE exists to empower family businesses to achieve…
Stronger business performance and long‑term strategy
Improved financial discipline and reporting
Succession conversations that finally move forward
Constructive navigation of family dynamics
Expanded strategic thinking and new opportunities
Accountability and a clearer sense of direction
Trusted relationships and peer‑to‑peer breakthroughs
We make space for what matters most to you…
Farm strategy
Farm acquisitions and expansion
Off-farm investments
Family relationships
Mental health
Succession planning
Banking relationships
Governance and leadership
Business structures
Risk and resilience
“The breakthroughs come from the people sitting across the table – not from a textbook.”
— AgEDGE Member (Dryland and irrigated Cropping, NSW)
Our Executive
Dorianne Coventry
President
Merino wool + beef cattle, Armidale NSW
Dorianne Coventry is President of AgEDGE and, together with her husband Charles, has been an active member since 2008. Based just outside Armidale, NSW, they operate an ultrafine merino wool and beef cattle enterprise through a unique global joint venture with Italian menswear company Zegna.
Raised in the United States, Dorianne began her career in global markets on Wall Street before moving to Australia and gradually transitioning into agriculture. She is also Director of Institutional Business Development & Investor Relations at Impact Ag Australia, supporting institutional investment in agriculture and natural capital.
As President, Dorianne is committed to working closely with members, facilitators and the board to strengthen high‑performing farming businesses and ensure AgEDGE continues to deliver clarity, confidence and long‑term value for its community.
Oliver Wythes
Vice PresidentMerino wool, cattle + cropping, Canowindra NSW
Oliver Wythes is Vice President of AgEDGE and a mixed‑farming operator on the western edge of the Central Tablelands of NSW.
Together with his wife Kassie, he manages a diversified 1,700‑hectare enterprise across owned and leased land, producing wool, sheep meat, winter cereals and canola. They are raising three teenage children who share a strong interest in agriculture and the future of the family business.
A second‑generation member, Oliver has been connected to AgEDGE since 1998 and became actively involved in 2003. The program has supported their business through major phases of growth, including succession planning, property transfer, strategic development, drought management, cashflow discipline and benchmarking.
Oliver values AgEDGE for the clarity, capability and personal growth it fosters, and for the role it plays in strengthening decision‑making and resilience in modern farming enterprises.
Beau Longmire
Beau Longmire is Treasurer of AgEDGE and a long‑standing member of the organisation. Based in Balldale in southern NSW, just north of the Murray River, Beau has managed his own business since the age of 21. His operation spans dryland and irrigated cropping, agricultural contracting, and the supply of grain and straw to local users. He employs a team of 10 full‑time staff alongside seasonal casuals.
Beau is deeply engaged in his local community, serving as Captain of the Balldale Fire Brigade and Co‑President of the CRFNC. A husband to Bec and father of three, he brings practical experience, strong business discipline and a commitment to regional leadership to his role on the AgEDGE executive.
TreasurerDryland + irrigated cropping, Balldale NSW
Angus Sommes
Chair - Bread BoardBeef cattle + broadacre cropping,
Allora QLD
Based in Allora on Queensland’s Darling Downs, Angus is Chair of the Bread Board and part of a mixed farming operation with his partner, focusing on cattle and broadacre cropping. He has professional experience in the seed industry, having worked with a national company specialising in broadacre cropping varieties.
Alongside his agricultural interests, Angus owns and operates Bundora Construction, delivering residential building and renovation projects. With a background in carpentry and business management, he brings practical, hands‑on expertise across both agriculture and construction.
As an AgEDGE executive board member, Angus is committed to supporting innovation, leadership and sustainable growth, and to strengthening the program’s role in developing capable, future‑focused farming businesses.
Narelle Jarry
Narelle Jarry is Chair of the On Board and has been a committed member of AgEDGE for over a decade. She and her partner, John Finlayson, own and operate a mixed sheep and beef cattle enterprise east of Armidale NSW, on land that has been in John’s family for over 160 years.
Narelle has held a diverse range of professional roles across the fine arts, cultural development and higher education sectors. In 2022, she transitioned to full-time management of her family’s assets and investments. With the support and encouragement of the On Board, this has expanded to include day-to-day involvement in the agricultural business that she and John operate.
Narelle brings an ethical, detail-oriented and structured approach to her role as Chair of the On Board. She cares deeply about providing a space in which all members feel valued and their contributions are both heard and thoughtfully considered.
Chair - On BoardFat lambs + beef cattle, Armidale NSW
Jess Webb is a co‑owner of Myanbah, a 4,500‑acre Angus beef enterprise near Uralla in the New England region of NSW. Alongside her husband Hamish, she contributes to the strategic direction and daily operation of the business, with a focus on productivity, sustainability and long‑term resilience.
Jess has been an active AgEDGE member since 2020 and values the structure, accountability and peer advisory support the program brings to progressive farming enterprises.
Beyond the farm, Jess holds several leadership roles across the agricultural sector. She is Vice Chair of Beef Australia, a Director of Rural Aid, a Red Meat Industry Ambassador, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds an MBA from the University of Edinburgh.
Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing Australian agriculture, supporting rural communities and contributing to the future of the red meat industry.
Jess Webb
Marketing & CommunicationsBeef cattle, Uralla NSW
Simon Fritsch
AgEDGE Executive & FacilitatorSimon Fritsch is a member of the AgEDGE Executive Committee and one of AgEDGE’s experienced facilitators.
Simon is the founder of Agripath and has more than 20 years’ experience advising agricultural businesses across irrigation, dryland farming and grazing systems. He has worked extensively across southern, central and northern NSW, as well as other farming regions across Australia, giving him a broad understanding of diverse production systems, business models and operating environments.
Simon’s strengths are financial analysis, benchmarking and strategic planning, with a strong focus on helping farming businesses improve profitability, make better decisions and achieve practical commercial outcomes.
Before founding Agripath, Simon worked as an irrigation agronomist with Twynam Cotton at Warren, a dryland consulting agronomist with Hassall & Associates, and later as Team Leader, Farm Business Consulting, also with Hassall & Associates.
Through Agripath and AgEDGE, Simon brings strong technical farming knowledge, commercial discipline and a practical facilitation style to help members test ideas, sharpen strategy and improve business performance.
Contact us
Keen to explore whether AgEDGE is the right fit for you and your business?
Enter your details below and we’ll be in touch.
Alternatively, please contact our Executive Officer Emanda Bertwistle on 0412 432 133 or info@agedge.com.au.