Grain Elevators Board

Full description

Establishment

In 1933 an expert committee comprising the Director of Agriculture, the General Superintendent of Transportation and the Chief Engineer for Railway Construction was established to study and propose State action to provide for the economical and efficient bulk receival, storage and transportation of grains in Victoria. The recommendations of the committee resulted in the Grain Elevators Act 1934 (No.4269) establishing the Grain Elevators Board of Victoria.

Functions

Under the legislation the Board was charged with responsibility for the acquisition and construction of country grain elevators and terminal elevators and the control and regulation of all grain handling. The Board was responsible for all activities connected with the storage of grain, including weighing, issuing of warrants or receipts for grain delivered, supply management, quality control, pest control, and data collection. The Grain Elevators Act 1958 (No.6266), which redefined the powers and authority of the Board, provided for the construction, maintenance and control of elevators by the Board within the State of New South Wales along the Yarrawonga-Oaklands, Echuca-Deniliquin and Barnes-Balranald railway lines. In 1977, the Board became the sole grain handling authority in Victoria under the Act to amend the Grain Elevators Act 1958 (No.9010).

The Board was appointed by and responsible to the Minister of Agriculture. It was originally composed of a chairman with business experience, a representative of the Victorian Railway Commissioners or the Railway Construction Branch of the Board of Land and Works, and a representative of the grain growers. The Board structure was later changed to provide for three grower members, one member of the Victorian Railways, one member of the Department of Agriculture, and an independent business person.

In order to fulfil its mandate, the Board appointed a General Manager and developed a corporate structure with divisions responsible for administration and the management of grain supply, elevator and facilities operations, and the construction and maintenance of elevators. Apart from the Head Office functions in Melbourne, staff were distributed throughout the state at five regional offices and the two export terminals at Geelong and Portland, reporting to Head Office through the Operations Division. In addition to its operation of elevators and grain management activities, the Board also became active in the provision of international consulting services in association with the Australian Wheat Board.

The Grain Elevators Board was dissolved under the Grain Handling and Storage Act 1995 (No.45, 1995) and wound up operations on December 31, 1995. Its assets were sold to a operator, VicGrain Limited, which continued the key operating functions of the Board.