The Ricegrowers Association of Australia's central executive meets next week to vote for a new president to replace Wakool district irrigator, Jeremy Morton, who has just joined the board of processing and marketing company, SunRice.
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Mr Morton, who has led Ricegrowers since 2015, will resign his post at the organisation's September 3 meeting in the wake of his appointment as a SunRice director last week.
He has followed in the footsteps of current SunRice chairman, Laurie Arthur, from nearby Moulemein in the Murray Valley, also a past president of the 1100-strong grower body.
Mr Arthur and fellow SunRice director, Dr Leigh Vial, were re-elected to four-year board terms last week, while retiring directors, Mark Robertson and Glen Andreazza, were replaced by Mr Morton and Julian Zanatta from the Murrumbidgee Valley.
Five candidates had nominated for the two new grower directors' positions, with Warren Lang, Angela Urquhart and Rob Massina being unsuccessful.
Mr Arthur said it was an exciting time for SunRice, following the company's listing on the Australian Securities Exchange in April and its a 2022 growth strategy being implemented.
"I'm delighted growers have seen fit to give me the opportunity to continue leading the company through the next phase," he said.
He described long-serving outgoing director Mark Robertson as an outstanding contributor to SunRice during a 23-year stint on the board, including 12 years as deputy chairman.
Mr Robertson also chaired SunRice's Papua New Guinean business, Trukai Industries for 20 years and led the committee which corporatised Ricegrowers Limited 14 years ago.
Glen Andreazza retired after eight years on the board during which he had chaired the safety, health and environment committee and served on the grower services and finance, risk and audit committees.
New director, Mr Zanatta, from Benerembah, south of Griffith, comes from a long family tradition of rice growing which originally began near Deniliquin in the early 1960s.
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Mr Morton, a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and president of both the grower association board and 22 member central committee, will trigger a ballot to replace him in the roles, and to fill his vacancy on the board.
Although water limitations meant just 65 southern NSW farmers grew rice last summer, the association's membership has actually increased slightly in the past year.
It represents about 90pc of Riverina and Murray region growers but also North Queensland and Victorian producers and some business and agronomy specialist associated with the industry.
Mr Morton said it had been an honour and privilege to serve the association and its members.
Ricegrowers' association executive director, Graeme Kruger, said Mr Morton's inclusive leadership style and commitment to the role had been sincerely appreciated by fellow delegates and staff, and he would be missed.
"Jeremy has brought dedication and a passion for the rice industry in his role as president, overseeing a constitutional review and structural review of the RGA during his tenure," he said.
"He has also been a strong advocate for water and for improving the lot of rice growers."
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