The search is now on for an innovative, passionate and committed leader from the Western Australian grains industry to chair the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Western Regional Panel.

GRDC regional panels play a key role connecting the organisation with the grains industry and informing research, development and extension (RD&E) investments. Panels are regionally based and typically comprised of growers, agronomists, farm advisers, researchers, agri-professionals and industry stakeholders.

GRDC Board Chair and Goondiwindi-based grain grower, John Woods, says chairing a regional panel was an invaluable opportunity to ensure the constraints and opportunities facing Australian grain growers were identified, understood and supported by strategic RD&E investments designed to deliver enduring profitability on-farm.

“This financial year GRDC will invest more than $200 million in RD&E, so it’s crucial we have passionate regional panel members, who are able to ground truth and inform proposed projects to ensure they meet grower and industry needs,” Mr Woods says.

“At the helm of these regional panels we want leaders, who are exceptional communicators, effective collaborators, broadminded, inquiring and inclusive so they can bring informed and clear-sighted information from industry into GRDC.

“Our panel chairs also play a pivotal role communicating and extending information from GRDC RD&E back to industry. So, theirs is a complex, but critically important role.”

The incoming panel chair will replace WA grain grower Darrin Lee, who has held the position since 2018 and will step down at the finish of his term on August 31.

Mr Woods says the organisation was looking for a Western Australian grains industry leader, who had a strong interest in driving collaboration and was keen to work closely with growers to better understand issues and opportunities across WA.

“Networking is a key part of the role as it generates unparalleled opportunities to engage across the grains industry and in a broader sense, the entire agricultural landscape. This includes attending events such as study tours, grower meetings, research updates and cross-industry events.”

To be successful in the role of regional panel chair, Mr Woods says representatives needed to have a strong understanding of the grains industry and solid connections with stakeholder groups, growers and agri-professionals in their region.

The GRDC Western Regional Panel Chair position will be for an initial two-year period, starting on September 1 2024, until August 31 2026. The successful candidate will be required to spend approximately 75 days a year on GRDC related business.

The successful candidate must be able to meet the time requirements of the role and have experience with chairing and leading meetings in a team setting. Please note that the roles of regional panel chair and member are advisory only and not the subject of an employment relationship with GRDC.

Applications close 5pm AWST Friday March 15, 2024. To find out more about the position, please visit the Careers page on the GRDC website.