At opposite ends of their rice industry journeys, a pioneering young farming family and one of the sector’s most respected leaders were recognised at the Rice Connect conference in Barham in August.
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Chris and Kate Morshead of Amberley Pastoral Co, near Yenda, were named the 2026 SunRice Grower of the Year, while long-time industry advocate Laurie Arthur received the Grower Contribution to Industry Award for more than three decades of service to Australian ricegrowers.
Former Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) executive director Graeme Kruger was also honoured with an Honorary Councillor award.
For the Morsheads, the Grower of the Year award recognised a relentless focus on innovation, sustainability and water efficiency.
The third-generation family business, which includes Chris's parents Harry and Anne, operates a 1200ha irrigated enterprise in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
Judges highlighted the farm's commitment to research, precision agriculture and continuous improvement, particularly its work advancing aerobic rice production systems.
The business achieved an average rice yield of 10.85 tonnes per hectare, with Matilda varieties averaging 12.78t/ha, while earning a PaddyVision quality score of 9.5.
Independent lead judge Iva Quarisa described the operation as being "at the absolute cutting edge of aerobic rice production", praising its ability to improve water productivity while maintaining strong yields and profitability.
The Morsheads said the award reflected the support of family, staff, advisers and researchers and highlighted the rice industry's culture of innovation and knowledge sharing.
Their prize includes $10,000 in cash, professional development opportunities and nomination for the Australian Farmer of the Year Awards.
While the Morsheads represent the future of the industry, Laurie Arthur's award recognised a lifetime spent helping shape it.
Mr Arthur grew his first rice crop at Moulamein in 1980 and was first drawn into industry advocacy through a local landholder group more than 30 years ago.
That path eventually led to leadership roles with the Ricegrowers Association of Australia and SunRice, where he served as chairman for more than a decade before retiring last year.
Graeme Kruger and Laurie Arthur with their rice awards.
SunRice chair John Bradford said few people had contributed across as many levels of the industry as Mr Arthur.
"His willingness to step forward, take on leadership roles and dedicate countless hours to serving the industry has helped shape the success and resilience of Australian rice for generations," Mr Bradford said.
Mr Arthur used the occasion to encourage younger growers to become involved in industry representation, saying farmers could successfully balance advocacy with running a business.
Despite expressing concern about water policy and the challenges facing irrigators, he remained optimistic about the industry's future, describing Australian rice production as world class and driven by passionate growers.
The conference also recognised Graeme Kruger for his leadership of the RGA, where he oversaw significant governance reforms, strategic reviews and industry development initiatives, including the establishment of Rice Breeding Australia.
His work helped strengthen the association's influence and advocacy on behalf of ricegrowers.
The conference also triggers a handover from Mr Kruger to his executive director successor, which is Perin Davey from Deniliquin.
Perin Davey will take over at Ricegrowers Association of Australia executive director.
Photo by
Emma Cross
