Darryl Heidke
MLA - Meat & Livestock Australia
Darryl has a 30-year career in food robotic automation systems development and integration.
Since 2012 Darryl has held the position as Program Manager with Meat & Livestock Australia’s automation, objective measurement and Digital Agriculture programs featuring significant R&D investments in lamb and beef automation and associated advanced measurement systems utilising x-ray, CT and machine vision technologies.
His career mission has been advancing Australian manufacturing through technology and innovation.
Previous positions have been with CSIRO’s Food Science Australia Division as their Science & Technology Manager. This role involved the strategic development of R&D initiatives in the broader food industry along with the management and coordination of Science and Technology research projects with a specific focus on addressing processing efficiencies and optimisation and productivity improvements.
Later roles also included the implementation of CSIRO’s business development initiatives in the specific area of food processing technology to maintain the substantial growth in the industry-funded R&D partnership projects.