Former NSW Rice Marketing Board chairman and long-serving industry personality, Noel Graham, is to step down as a RMB director after November’s board election.
He has been a director since 2001 and was chairman between 2002 and 2009 when he became the current deputy chairman.
Nominations for the election of three RMB members will open in early September.
During his chairmanship RMB sold its southern NSW rice storage sheds to the SunRice co-operative as it converted to company status, highlighting what Mr Graham described as the deep unity between growers, the company and the statutory regulator.
Growers gave the deal a 95pc vote of support.
Current chairman, Robyn Clubb, described Mr Graham, from Deniliquin, as a rice industry stalwart of 34 years.
His insightful and intelligent contributions and vast knowledge of the rice sector would be greatly missed.
I believe the time is right to allow for renewal and succession in the boardroom
- Noel Graham
Mr Graham’s election to RMB followed senior roles with Ricegrowers Association of Australia where he continued as Deniliquin branch vice from 1986 until this year.
“The thing I will miss most is the endless contact with the people that make up this unique industry – the growers, the company, RMB and those in government,” he said.
“I have loved my time in the rice industry, however, I believe the time is right to allow for renewal and succession in the boardroom.”
The marketing board operates on behalf of the state government to obtain the best possible monetary return for NSW growers by licensing authorised buyers and issuing the state’s exclusive export licence, held by SunRice.