![Mick Duncan, Armidale, served nine terms as president of the Grasslands Society. With him is Lester McCormick, Manilla, who is chairperson of the newly formed Pastures and Grazing NSW Limited. Picture supplied Mick Duncan, Armidale, served nine terms as president of the Grasslands Society. With him is Lester McCormick, Manilla, who is chairperson of the newly formed Pastures and Grazing NSW Limited. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/176405925/7559bafd-2cf1-4de9-87f8-5da1bd2dbb08.jpg/r0_0_2250_1750_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A past president of the Grassland Society has been honoured with a life membership 20 years after he first accepted the position of president.
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Mick Duncan was announced as president at the society's 2004 annual general meeting at Gunnedah's Grassland conference.
Over nine terms, Mick Duncan's presidency was marked by steadfast dedication, which brought drive, enthusiasm, and unwavering support to the committee, as attested by his colleague, Lester McCormick.
Mr McCormick said the Grassland Society had changed its name to Pastures and Grazing NSW Limited.
"Despite the change in our name to Pastures and Grazing NSW Limited, our vision remains steadfast. This transition is merely a step towards modernisation," Mr McCormick reassured.
"Mick became president of the Grassland Society at the AGM at the Gunnedah Grassland Conference in 2004. I remember it well, and I also joined the committee.
"Mick and I made many trips to Orange for committee meetings, and he was always keen to discuss what we needed to achieve at the next committee meeting as we were financially just Okay.
"But we needed to improve our accounting and governance. This was achieved under Mick's drive, enthusiasm and the committee's support."
Speaking to delegates at the first conference in 2005 at Orange, Mr Duncan said plant and animal production depended heavily on new and developing technology and sound principles of agricultural science.
"When Mick announced his retirement from the committee, the committee were unanimous in voting for his election to life membership for the forging work he had done to bring in the changes to manage better the Society, which is still in place today," Mr McCormick said.
Mr Duncan was a district agronomist with NSW DPI and a specialist in acid soils.
Mr Duncan, who now resides in Armidale, was presented with a framed certificate of life membership, and his wife Margaret was presented with a bouquet, which will include it. She was thanked for allowing Mick to spend time serving the Society.
Pastures and Grazing will soon launch their new website, www.pgnsw.com.au, with a member section, Ask an Expert, and a member blog for sharing ideas and success stories.
Mr McCormick, the chairperson of the new Pastures and Grazing body, said that with the launch of the website, a quarterly newsletter will return and be available to all who would like to read it.
"There is even talk around the return of the biennial pastures conference," he said.
The organisation has a new executive officer, Anne Baker, who can be contacted at admin@pgnsw.com.au