Mr Darley said he stood again because it was important to have a representative of fruit and vegetable growing industries on the board.

“It keeps horticulture on the profile of the association,” he said.

The senior vice-president role was retained by John Ridley, with Fiona Simpson stepping into the second vice-president’s position for the first time.

Mr Darley will also serve his sixth term as chair of the association’s horticulture committee after voting at the annual conference in Sydney this week.

He believes property rights, mining issues and the conflict between trade and biosecurity concerns will be high on the agenda for farmers across a range of industries in the next 12 months.

Fruit growers from Orange will raise the issue of flying foxes at the conference today, calling for an audit of flying fox numbers.

Mr Darley said he believed local growers would be supported by their fellow farmers.

Regional infrastructure was on the agenda during the conference yesterday, with delegates calling on the state and federal governments to introduce a strategy for inland rail and ports.

l Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan yesterday announced a plague locust control headquarters would be set up in Orange in the next two weeks.

The NSW government will give $18.5 million in assistance to farmers to tackle what is expected to be the worst locust plague outbreak in at least 30 years.