The NSW beef industry will lose a wealth of experience when beef quality technical specialist Bob Gaden calls it quits after 42 years in the job with NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Mr Gaden’s ability to turn scientific results into an easily read and industry focused format will be sorely missed.

From scientists to school kids, from Kazakhstan to the Kimberley, there are people who have benefited from his ability to pull out the critical message, and make it understood.

Mr Gaden (pictured) began with the Department of Agriculture as a beef livestock officer and spent time in that position at Gunnedah, Grafton, Cowra and Goulburn, with a brief training period on Clonagh Station in Western Queensland.

The last half of his distinguished career has been at Armidale, filling senior roles in marketing specialty products prior to his current position.

Occasionally he was drawn into a management position, but always clawed his way back into a more technical front-line role.

Throughout this time Mr Gaden has focused on marketing systems and meat quality.

From the early days when he was actively involved in the forerunner organisation to Conservation and Land Management, to the initial training of market reporters at Homebush, and to the pioneering of the use of objective measurements in carcase assessment; the value of the end product has always been his focus.

Over this time, he is estimated to have judged more than 25,000 carcases in dozens of abattoirs in more than 120 carcase competitions.

Starting at 4.30am in the chillers may be one thing that won’t be hard for him to pass up.

His other major contribution has been through his support of the three Beef CRCs.

See Bob Gaden's story 'No loss of tenderness' in this edition.