Announcing the appointment, WAPPA President, Richard Evison, said Mrs Cooper was the best candidate in a strong field. He was confident her agricultural and leadership experience and skills would ensure WA pork producers were well positioned to pursue growth opportunities at a time of considerable change.

Born and raised on a mixed grain and sheep farm at Kojonup in WA’s Great Southern, Mrs Cooper has been Executive Officer of the WA Livestock and Rural Transport Association for the past 10 years and will continue, part-time, in that role.

"I see that experience as very complementary to my new role at WAPPA, with the issue of welfare high on the agendas of both associations and it’s clearly a priority for WA pork producers, as many transition to lower confinement piggeries," she said.

Growth in demand for the niche free range market has seen WA increase its free range herd this year and next year 25 per cent of WA’s sows will be farmed outdoors.

Mrs Cooper attended WAPPA’s most recent General Meeting where the agenda focussed sharply on animal welfare and how producers are continuing to raise the welfare bar.

"With producers openly discussing what they are doing about animal welfare on their farms, WAPPA can continue to review how best to help further enhance welfare, from the pigs’ perspective as well as for piggery workers and, ultimately, to satisfy consumers."

Mrs Cooper has extensive governmental experience, having held senior management positions in the State Government’s Department of Productivity and Labour Relations from 1994 to 2001. Since 2001, she has been a director of Cooper Piesse and Associates Pty Ltd., a consulting practice providing strategic business advice.

From 2012 to 2104 she was a member of the WA Beef Council, which works with the state government, industry organisations and funding bodies to develop long term growth for WA’s beef industry and has worked in the horticultural industry.