VOTING members approved changes to the constitution of the Australian Meat Processor Corporation during the processor R&D company’s annual general meeting today.

The AMPC Board has been working on updating the body’s constitution for the past year, with changes including modernising it to include streamlined administrative provisions and the introduction of a nine-year cap on director terms.

Processor members approved the changes at today’s virtual AGM.

In a statement, AMPC said the changes to the constitution reflected the board’s commitment to continuous improvement in its government practices and addressed recommendations from the company’s independent performance review conducted by KPMG in 2020.

Under the updated constitution, each director can serve a maximum of nine years. Current directors will serve out their current term which ends in November 2023.

All directors will have a maximum service period of three consecutive terms of three years (nine years total), where under the former Constitution, directors could serve for any number of consecutive terms.

Also during today’s AGM, the board farewelled independent director Bruce Rathie who steps down from the board today following his recent resignation. Mr Rathie is a respected professional director, and has recently accepted a chair role on an ASX-listed company, leading to the need to reshuffle his commitments. He served on the AMPC board for four years.

The board also farewelled processor director James Hardwick who steps down following the recent sale of the Hardwick’s processing business based out of Kyneton in Victoria. Mr Hardwick served on the AMPC Board for one year.

Recruitment is now underway for an independent director following Mr Rathie’s departure, and the board will soon undertake a process to identify a processor director to fill the vacancy left by Mr Hardwick.

AMPC chief executive Chris Taylor outlined AMPC’s past year of achievement. “Strong foundations were established over the past year with member engagement at an all-time high. AMPC delivered practical R&D outcomes that met levy payer needs,” Mr Taylor said.