About
Building a more profitable and sustainable industry for Australian growers
What makes GrainGrowers unique from other representative bodies is simple: our farmers.
Unlike other groups, our only members are farmers themselves and they are the heart of everything we do at GrainGrowers.
Our goal is to represent growers whether that's in front of a government minister, industry leader or even other advocacy groups, ensuring grower's messages goes directly to those that need to hear it the most.
Our development programs are bespoke and tailored to further the skills and capacity of growers.
Our Ambition
Our Ambition
1. GrainGrowers work enables growth in grower farming enterprises
2. More sustainable grains industry
3. More trusted grower centric grains association
Our Strategic Priorities
Our Strategic Priorities
1. Ensure a favourable operating environment for growers
2. Develop a vibrant and robust ideas ecosystem to solve emerging and future issues
3. Ensure GrainGrowers has an engaging portfolio of activities and resources that growers want and need
Our Values
Our Values
Integrity - We are motivated by honesty and accountability and work to the highest standards.
Teamwork - We work collaboratively and support each other to deliver solutions.
Innovation - We consistently strive to be innovative in our approach and drive positive change in the grains industry
Respect - We give the same respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender or background.
Passion - We are passionate about what we do here at GrainGrowers, and we are passionate about assisting growers however we can
Accountability - We are held accountable to our members and stakeholders
Decisive - We are decisive in our stance and will always prioritise growers interests first
GrainGrowers in numbers
88%Australian farms provide of our domestic food supply
$13.8 bgross value of production
$12.4 bin exports
168GrainGrowers Graduates
15,500GrainGrowers members
1958GrainGrowers was established
Over 60 years ago group of growers gathered around a kitchen table in North Star, NSW to discuss the need for a premium payment for the high quality, high protein wheat they were growing in the region.
Since then, we have proven our track record of success for delivering real value to growers and the wider industry.
Our Board
Richard Konzag
Director
Richard Konzag
Director
A grain grower at Mallala, SA, Richard produces a wide variety of cereals, pulses and oilseeds. Richard served for six years on the Advisory Board of Agriculture, and seven years on the GRDC’s Southern Panel which included the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, Grains Advisory Panel. He was also a non-executive director and Chair of the Australian Grain Growers Co-op board and has served on the Rural Business Support Board since 2019.
Richard has experience in corporate governance, strategic and business planning, financial management and planning, implementation and project planning and oversight and graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2015.
Julia Hausler
Director
Julia Hausler
Director
Julia Hausler is a grower director of GrainGrowers. Julia operates a successful family farming operation in Victoria’s Wimmera region. She is highly strategic and annually benchmarks their farm business. Julia is an engaged and effective Board Director of GrainGrowers and is the Chair of GrainGrowers' People and Culture Committee.
In her six years on the Board, Julia has positively contributed to governance standards, a refreshed strategy, investment portfolio growth, and has represented GrainGrowers nationally and internationally.
Julia was previously a member of the GrainGrowers National Policy Group. Julia holds a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Business (Agribusiness) and has 25 years’ experience in agriculture. Her expertise in marketing, accumulation, education, financing, and rural policy provides an excellent basis for her board work. Julia actively contributes to her local community.
Julia is the past Chair of the Rural Northwest Health Board and Vice Chair Grampians Region Health Alliance and current member of the Birchip Cropping Group Research Committee.
Nigel Corish
Deputy Chair
Nigel Corish
Deputy Chair
Nigel is a fourth-generation farmer from Goondiwindi QLD with over 20 years’ of farming and business management experience, and is the Managing Director of New Leaf Ag Pty Ltd, a family owned food and fibre company. Nigel is a GrainGrowers Director for the Northern Region and sits as the chair of GrainGrowers’ Grains Sustainability Steering committee, and Audit and Risk committee.
With a Bachelor of Applied Science Agronomy from the University of Queensland, Nigel’s work across agriculture has been recognised as Australian Cotton Grower of the Year and ABC Rural Australian Young Farmer of the Year. Nigel also received a Nuffield Scholarship. Nigel currently sits on the board of both Cotton Seed Distributors and Ability Agriculture.
Rhys Turton
Chair
Rhys Turton
Chair
Rhys Turton is a grain grower from York, Western Australia where he grows a range of crops including cereals, pulses, canola and hay. Rhys is a grower director of GrainGrowers. Rhys has worked in agricultural organisations both in Australia and internationally, giving him a thorough understanding of international trade and market access.
The board of GrainGrowers is a strong advocate of good corporate governance.
The Board is committed to fulfilling its corporate governance obligations and responsibilities in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders.
GrainGrowers' funding
As a national representative organisation, GrainGrowers is able to operate wholly independently of operational funding from Government or other influencing sources. Nor does GrainGrowers take funding from any kind of grower levy.
GrainGrowers manages a significant investment portfolio that has been built over many decades of diligent investment decisions and historical ownership of grain bulk handling assets. The investment portfolio remains carefully and robustly managed to this day, with the earnings from the fund supporting the organisation’s operational costs. With this model, GrainGrowers is able to operate independently and concentrates on supporting progressive and innovative growers through its initiatives.
Advocacy
We maintain effective partnerships with relevant industry and government committees to enhance our advocacy effort for growers and achieve improved policy outcomes.
In order to enhance our advocacy effort for growers, GrainGrowers is a member of the following organisations.
- Farmsafe Australia
- Rural, Regional and Remote Communications Coalition
- National Farmers' Federation (NFF)
- Grain Trade Australia (GTA)
- Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA)
- Australian Farm Institute (AFI)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Agricultural Consultative Committee
- Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF)
- Grains NSW
- Grain and Plant Products Export Industry Consultative Committee (GPPEICC)
- Grain Industry Association of Victoria (GIAV)
- Grain Industry Association of Western Australia (GIWA)
- Grains Industry Association of South Australia