The National Farmers’ Federation has announced Michael Guerin as its new chief executive officer, with the appointment to take effect from 23 March 2026.
NFF president Hamish McIntyre said Mr Guerin brought extensive leadership experience to the role, citing his current position as acting chief executive of NSW Farmers and his eight years as chief executive of AgForce Queensland.
“Mike brings extensive experience to the NFF CEO role through his current role as Acting CEO of NSW Farmers and the eight years he spent as AgForce CEO,” Mr McIntyre said.
“His experience means he will well and truly hit the ground running in March.
“We heartily welcome Mike’s appointment and are looking forward to a new chapter of leadership at NFF House.”
Mr Guerin said he was honoured to be appointed to lead agriculture’s national peak body.
“The NFF is agriculture’s peak national body and I am truly humbled to be selected as its Chief Executive,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to taking a national lens to the agricultural issues I’ve rallied for on behalf of Queensland and New South Wales.
“I’m especially looking forward to making inroads in the member advocacy space, an issue I am very familiar with.
“There is plenty of work to be done and I’m excited to dig in.”
Mr Guerin’s career spans more than two decades in banking and corporate agribusiness, including serving as managing director of Elders Rural Services, before moving into peak agricultural advocacy roles. As chief executive of AgForce Queensland, he built a strong reputation across the federated farming sector and played a central role in national reform workshops.
However, his short tenure at NSW Farmers – filling in while Annabel Johnson is on maternity leave – has not been without controversy. He produced a Hunter Valley transition discussion paper focused on food processing and agricultural value adding that was dismissed as “naive and misguided” and launched a costly legal campaign against the Narrabri Gas Project – pitched on Guerin’s experience fighting fracking in Queensland, in which he claimed the traditional gas mining project involved fracking (which it does not).
There have also been increasingly loud reports of strained relationships and dysfunction between senior staff and elected leaders within NSW Farmers, although some of this tension pre-dates Guerin’s appointment.
Mr Guerin will take over from interim chief executive Su McCluskey. Mr McIntyre thanked Ms McCluskey for her leadership during the transition period.
“Su has led the NFF with a steady hand and sharp eye,” he said.
“We wish her all the very best as she spends more time on her farm.”
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin also welcomed the appointment, describing Mr Guerin as a deeply experienced leader with strengths in governance and organisational reform.
“Governance and structural reform are key areas of strength for Mike,” Mr Martin said.
“He is unafraid of tough conversations and has a genuine care for our organisations, staff and Members.”
The vacancy was created by the rapid departure of Troy Williams, an education and health professional with little experience in agriculture, appointed in January 2025, who resigned for “personal reasons” after just four months.
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