Meet the team
With their agricultural backgrounds and specialised research skills, Ag Econ’s economists are accomplished at tailoring messages to any audience. Supported by a team of specialists, outputs are of the highest quality.
Jon Welsh | Principal Climate Analyst & Economist
Jon’s specialised skills include evaluating investment risk and farm technologies as well as analysing and communicating the cyclical nature of key climate influences affecting Australian agriculture. Jon has 25 years of hands-on livestock and grain production experience and is also an alumnus of the Rabobank Executive Development Program. Jon has proven to be a versatile agricultural consultant, undertaking commercial board advisory on large-scale agricultural developments and infrastructure, government policy recommendations, ASX resource sector sustainability strategic planning, expert witness analysis, leading complex grant funding submissions, as well as performing core economic and sustainability research tasks. Jon is recognised in the 2018 Deans Honours list for excellence in the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Melbourne. B.Ag.Ec.(UNE), M.Agrib (UoM). Exec. Man. (MGSM). He enjoys playing most sports and is active in community events, fundraising and sporting committees. Jon also has a keen interest in their family’s sheep and cattle farming business in northern NSW.
George Revell | Principal Economist
George has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, a Master of Business, and a proven track record of detailed and objective economic analysis in the agricultural sector. George specialises in investment impact assessments to support improved investment decision making, including in both an ex-ante and ex-post setting. Most recently for Hort Innovation and the Australian Meat Processors Corporation, George has applied a range of analytical techniques to evaluate economic, environmental and social impacts across hundreds of investments in agritech and productivity, biosecurity, genetics and breeding, leadership and training, market development, and marketing. George has a detailed understanding of the Council of Rural RDCs Impact Assessment Guidelines and Principles, and a strong focus on engaging widely with stakeholders to understand and communicate the drivers of investment success. Originally from a mixed cropping and grazing property in north-west NSW, George is currently based in Braidwood with his wife and children.
Janine Powell | Principal Economist
Specialising in investment and impact analyses, feasibility of new technologies and whole farm modelling, Janine’s recent focus has been on investigating the incorporation of renewable energy technologies into irrigation and broad acre farming to improve productivity and sustainability. With her family Janine runs a mixed cropping farming business which includes broad acre irrigated, dryland and livestock enterprises. A 4th generation farmer, she grew up on a mixed farming enterprise near Wee Waa, NSW and worked for the cotton merchant Namoi Cotton for 5 years buying cotton. As a research economist with NSW DPI (2008-2016), Janine developed high level skills as an agricultural economist and gained experience in multi-disciplined projects including CRC’s and ACIAR. Janine holds a Bachelor of Business (Ag commerce), Masters of Philosophy (Agricultural Economics) and Diploma of Financial Services (PS 146 compliant).
Adam Briggs | Associate Economist and Evaluation Specialist
Adam brings a unique blend of skills which bridge the disciplines of agricultural economics and evaluation. Before joining Ag Econ, Adam most recently led the Data and Insights team at Hort Innovation, where he implemented the company’s Evaluation Framework through the provision of investment expenditure analysis and performance reporting. Adam is especially passionate about building evaluation capacity to make evaluation concepts accessible to all stakeholder types. He brings a fresh perspective when program providers, audiences and their beneficiaries seek to answer questions such as ‘is it good?’, ‘was it worth it?’ and ‘what can we do now?’.
Adam lives on the Central Coast of NSW with his growing family and enjoys all outdoor pursuits. Adam has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of Sydney (Class 1 Honours and University Medal) and a Masters of Evaluation from the University of Melbourne.
Johanna Hansson | Associate Economist
Johanna is an experienced Economist with advanced analytical skills and the ability to distill complex information into key insights. She has worked with businesses and government agencies on commercial, policy and regulatory projects across multiple industries, including energy and agriculture. Her recent project experience includes conducting feasibility studies on production and use cases for green hydrogen and on renewable energy applications in an agricultural context; assessing the impacts on the electricity grid of large scale uptake of EVs; modelling potential revenue streams for large scale batteries and forecasting the price of electricity, gas and renewable energy certificates. Johanna has previously worked as a Commercial Advisor with Alinta Energy and as a Senior Economist with the Competition Economist Group (CEG). Johanna holds a Bachelor of Economics & Business Studies and a Master of Economics (UWA and Uppsala University), and is certified in Climate and Renewable Energy Finance.
Matthew Revell | Associate Economist
An agricultural economist with 10 years banking experience, Matthew specialises in applied agricultural analysis with key areas of interest being financial analysis, cashflow optimisation and investment impact analyses to maximise returns in rural investment. Matthew also has experience in various forms of grant writing and application processes and provides business advisory services to rural businesses in his local area of Tamworth, NSW where he also owns and operates a grazing property. Matthew grew up on a mixed farming and grazing enterprise near Wee Waa, NSW and completed a Bachelor of Economics (Major in Finance) at the University of Sydney.
Ali Smith | Media & Communications Contributor
Ali Smith has worked as a journalist for 15 years in television, radio, print and digital media. Ali worked as a producer with Channel 9 for more than a decade at 60 Minutes, Today show and in the Canberra Press Gallery. She’s also reported for ABC radio in WA’s beautiful Kimberley region. Ali recently traded the big smoke for the bush and currently lives on a farm at Burren Junction, NSW but travels around the region writing stories and taking photographs for the local papers’ print and digital editions. The switch to country life has enabled Ali to pursue exciting freelance opportunities and take on additional media roles including producing podcasts and social media content for Ag Econ. She has also worked for a Federal Member of Parliament. Ali has a Bachelor of Communication and Media (Journalism) from the University of Canberra.