Ag’s new advocate

Robert Ryan took up his role as RAS president on June 24, following the decision by his predecessor Glenn Dudley to step down after a successful six years in the role.

The chairman and managing director of the Australian Wool and Pastoral Agency Limited – trading as Schute Bell Badgery Lumby – Robert has had a career in the woolbroking industry spanning more than 40 years.

Raised in Castle Hill, where he still lives today, Robert joined the industry in 1969 working for a series of Australian and English companies.

Interest in the wool industry was sparked from an early age – by a neighbour at his childhood home in Castle Hill who was a wool buyer and very passionate about the wool industry

“I got to know him well, and that was what really encouraged me to go into the wool industry.”

Robert attended the Sydney Sheep and Wool School at Ultimo.

He also continued with real estate training part time, and became a licensed auctioneer in the early 1970s, joining Schute Bell Badgery Lumby in 1984.

In 1992 became the company’s general manager.

Robert joined the RAS Council in 1996, particularly involved with the sheep and wool committee, of which he would become chairman some years later.

He is also a former RAS vice president.

Robert said the RAS gave producers the opportunity each year to be involved in a great exhibition of agriculture, with the best of the best on display.

He said Sydney Royal Show allowed the general public to see an excellent, overall display of agricultural industries.

“More and more people are using this event as a venue for an agricultural experience, and to be educated about where their food comes from,” he said.

Robert said all the competitions had a strong capacity to continually improve agriculture, by pitting producer against producer in striving for the best.

“It is also offers a good recognition of what they produce.”

He said the RAS, comprised of about 140 employees, anywhere from 300 to 400 volunteers, and a very large membership, was committed to promoting the benefits of agriculture.

Robert described the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Sydney Royal this year as “pretty special”, and he felt privileged to be able to guide them around the sheep and wool pavilion, where they were able to take in sheep shearing demonstrations and observe displays of wool.

“The exposure for the wool industry was pretty good, with a lot of international coverage,” he said.

Robert said given Prince Charles was a big sheep producer in his own right, it was good to see his son having a strong interest in the sheep and wool industry.

“They were very keen to see a Merino ram, were particularly interested in talking to a wool classer, and spent a good deal of time talking to a shearer and asking him about his trade.”

Robert said he hoped through his new role he would be able to help make more people aware agriculture offered a viable career and was still very significant to the NSW economy.

“I just want to make more people aware of agriculture and all that happens in agriculture – there are a lot of good things about agriculture people gloss over,” he said.

“We are keen to give people the opportunity to understand where their food and fibre comes from, and the work that goes in to produce it.”