He arrived at NSW Farmers at the peak of the drought, which followed with bushfires, floods and a pandemic.
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Now after five years Pete Arkle will be stepping down as NSW Farmers' chief executive officer and will be taking the next step in his professional career.
Reflecting on his time, Mr Arkle said NSW Farmers had lobbied for the removal of legislated barriers constraining the Port of Newcastle from developing a world-class container terminal, secured biosecurity funding and had kept governments focused on technology-led approaches to enable sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.
Mr Arkle said the commitment from the Labor government to legislate the ag commissioner would also be critical to ensure land use change across NSW did not put at risk the state's best farming land.
"The only certain thing in advocacy is that if you aren't at the table, you won't influence anything, and I'm proud of the work we've done to build a strong reputation and trusted relationships, which have ultimately enabled us to secure key advocacy wins for our farming members," Mr Arkle said.
"The last five years have asked a lot of our farm members, and our dedicated and talented staff have always been there, morning, noon, and night - striving to make a difference on the things that matter most to our members".
"I am excited about future opportunities for me, particularly at the interface of agriculture, sustainable land management and international investment markets. I look forward sharing further details on the role I intend to play in continuing to shape a sustainable future for our ag and our regional landscapes."
NSW Farmers' president Xavier Martin said Mr Arkle had been an excellent leader through what has been a period of great challenge and more recent reward for farmers across the state.
"Advocacy is our core business, and it has been satisfying to take up the case for farming families who have confronted devastating drought, severe bushfires, a mouse plague and then multiple damaging floods," Mr Martin said.
"It's been a roller coaster of a period for NSW agriculture, and NSW Farmers has worked closely with governments to secure comprehensive recovery assistance for farmers hit by these natural disasters."
Mr Martin said this had certainly helped NSW Farmers' members to bounce back and to capture the opportunities the last year or so have presented, allowing industry to take big steps towards the goal of 30 by 30.
Under Mr Arkle's leadership, NSW Farmers' has grown its commercial services revenue by nearly 80 per cent in the last four years.
Mr Martin said the health of NSW Farmers' political relationships, built under Mr Arkle's leadership, was reflected in the fact the Premier Chris Minns and multiple key Ministers contributed at its recent Annual Conference.
"It's clear our association is seen as a formidable advocate, respected across the political landscape for our dedicated focus on making a positive difference for our farming members," Mr Martin said.
