Graeme Pope receives ROCA Merit Award

Published 20th January 2023

Our very own Sales Consultant and Pig Expert, Graeme Pope was recently presented with the 2022 Roseworthy Old Collegians Association (ROCA) Award of Merit. The ROCA Award of Merit is the highest award of honour awarded to former graduates of the University of Adelaide's Roseworthy Agricultural College & Roseworthy Campus. Graeme had to be nominated by two Roseworthy graduates and then selected by an assessment panel of seven agriculturalists representing different sectors of Industry (sales, education, research, extension) to receive his Award.

Since Graduating the first time from Roseworthy in 1977, Graeme has worked in the agricultural industry for 45 years with over 38 of them being solely within the pig industry. Graeme worked for PIRSA for 34 years as an animal health adviser and pig industry consultant.

After leaving PIRSA he began working privately as a piggery staff training and quality assurance consultant, as he felt he could provide greater service and provide a greater level of leadership in the pig industry by doing so. Graeme joined National Feed Solutions 14 months ago, filling a part time sales consultant role to our SA cliental.

As well as his consultant work, Graeme has been a part of many innovative changes within the Australian pig industry, such as promoting the adoption of artificial insemination in commercial herds through the delivery of reproduction training courses to over 5,500 industry participants in Australia and New Zealand. Graeme has also contributed to the industry by holding industry roles such as being a director of SABOR Artificial Breeding Centre, the editor of quarterly Industry publication Pig Industry News and deliverer of the pig industry's national ProHand pig handling program. In SA, Graeme also offers his service to the local Royal Adelaide Show and has served as a pig judging steward for nearly two decades and has convened the Pigs & People public showcase annually.

In the education field, Graeme has been responsible for delivery of the Certificate 111 Pork Production skillsets, University of Adelaide student mentoring and pig production teaching, as well as supporting agricultural studies for teachers and their students at 40 different High Schools in South Australia.

When chatting with Graeme, he discussed how he knew he wanted to be involved with livestock in agriculture since his early primary school years and is more than happy to help the future of the industry. When reflecting on his career in the industry Graeme said "Hopefully I have done a lot for the pig industry, because the pig industry (the pigs and the people) have done a lot for me".

The entire National feed Solutions family is extremely proud of Graeme and have been lucky enough to work alongside of him recently. His passion and dedication is second to know and we are fully aware how fortunate we are to have him working with us.