1975- In May Max employed his first full time employee, Greg Carroll, who after a few years became a partner.

1978- Crokers acquired its first grain storage on Lake Albert Rd Wagga Wagga from Bunge Australia; it had storage capacity of 2500 tonnes mainly stored malting and feed barley on behalf of the Barley Marketing Board of NSW.

1979- Crokers increased storage capacity by 6000 tonnes when the company leased and moved office to the Murrumbidgee Flour Mill in Wagga Wagga. With this extra capacity the company built a relationship with companies such as Uncle Toby’s, Bunge Feeds and Ingham Chickens handling mainly oats, lupins and barley.

1980-82 With increased producer support throughout the area our business continue to grow, trading milling oats, feed oats, barley, wheat, ryecorn, triticale and lupins. Over this period of time the company increased its work force to six employees.

During the drought of 1982, the company purchased the AFL fertiliser agency from John and Vera McKelvie at Marrar. Upon reflection this was one of the great turning points of the business.

The overwhelming support received from the Marrar and Coolamon farming community has been a huge part of the company’s success.

1983- With continued support from the local farming community Croker’s constructed a grain and fertiliser depot at Marrar with 6000 tonne capacity of grain storage and 700 tonne of fertiliser storage. This storage complex was built to service malting and feed barley for the Barley Marketing Board of NSW and wheat for Bunge Feeds and Ingham Enterprises as well as cropping fertiliser distribution depot for Australian Fertiliser Limited.

1984- Further expansion occurred when the company purchased the Stratton Flour Mill at Cootamundra from Clifford Love & Co (then the manufacturer of Uncle Toby’s Rolled Oats). The Mill has been a great acquisition to the company because of its storage layout with a 40-bin segregation and a total capacity of 12,500 tonnes. The storage was mainly filled with milling oats and feed Oats (Cooba Oats been the main variety). In recent years the Mill has received most grains, oilseeds and pulses. Croker’s relocated its Wagga Office to 25 Gurwood Street as the lease on the Murrumbidgee Flour Mill in Wagga Wagga expired.

1985- Croker’s became a commission agent for Continental Grain, to contract rapeseed for their oilseed crushing plant in Sydney. Continental through Crokers gave backup support to growers to expand the rapeseed production, by offering agronomy advise, local storage delivery and GMP contracts with an act of god clause. This was the start of a great business relationship. Crokers were the first grain handler to store rapeseed on a commercial basis in New South Wales.

1985-89- Saw a number of major changes and opportunities in the grain industry, with the canola industry continuing to grow and the deregulation of the domestic wheat market. This enable the business to provide services to wider band of end users, companies like Weston Milling and Bunge Feeds (who remain strong supporters of the business today). With the increased usage of grain in the pig, dairy and beef industry saw a need to expand grain storage capacity at Marrar by 2500 tonne in 1988.

1990- Sold storage depot on Lake Albert Road, Wagga Wagga.

1991- Purchased grain store at Coolamon which was establish by the Mutton Family whom where major players in the cereal chaff industry. Storage capacity of 5000 tonne.

1992- Erected new weighbridge, office block and 250 tonne bulk fertiliser storage at the Coolamon depot.

1993- Purchases and relocated office to 45Gurwood Street, Wagga Wagga. Graincorp silo at Ladysmith is leased for storage (has 4000 tonnes capacity).

1994- Drought year A lupin-dehulling plant was constructed at the Cootamundra site with milling capacity of 10 tonne per hour, to supply lupin protein meal to Ingham Enterprises for their poultry feeds. Continental Grain sells its oilseed crushing plants and business in Australia to Cargill. Croker’s becomes commission agents for Cargill Oilseeds for canola.

1995- Max Croker retires and sells his interest in the business

1996- The company formed a relationship with the Dart family to establish a storage depot at Griffith to service the Uncle Toby’s Co (in contracting milling oats).

1997- Croker’s were appointed commission agent for Agracorp Pty Ltd the trading arm of the Grain Pool of Western Australia. This appointment was to accumulate and service albus lupins in New South Wales for the Middle East export market.

1998- Croker’s constructed 14,000 tonne of bunker storage at the Marrar depot to increase overall storage capacity of Marrar to 24,000 tonne The Rock was leased from Aussie Cereals to store triticale and milling oats (with a capacity of 4000 tonnes). Exported 1st shipment of Albus lupin to Egypt 5000 tonnes

1999- Purchased grain store at Ladysmith from Graincorp, Ladysmith depot is used predominantly to service Hannan Livestock Group owners of the Ladysmith feedlot.

2000- Conducted farming study tour of Canada, USA and UK with local producers. 1st export cargo of Albus lupins to Europe. (18,000 tonnes)

2001- Commence construction on pelletising plant at Cootamundra .The plant was built to produce fibre pellets for the beef and dairy industries in Korea. Changed fertiliser supplier to Summit Fertiliser from Incitec Limited in which the company had association with for 19 years.

2002- Completed construction and commenced manufacturing and shipment of fibre pellet for export to Korea. Delivered our first lupin meal for the aquaculture industry into Japan and Tasmania. A drought year.

2003- Croker grain celebrates 30 years of business. The worst drought in 100 years continues. Crokers imports lupins and feed oats from Western Australia to the Cootamundra Mill. Purchased in May 8000 tonne of grain storage from Sunrice at Widgelli ( 10 km east of Griffith.) 

2004-  Drought continues, very poor harvest yields and high screenings grain. Move company head office from Wagga Wagga to Marrar. Erected 4 x 1300 tonnes silos at Widgelli and increased Marrar grain bunker storage by 4000 tonne. Cootamundra Mill storage and milling areas were upgraded with the construction 12 x 125 tonnes silos.

2005- Drought continues driest six months on record receive good rain in mid June, Finish upgrade on pellet mill at Cootamundra with the installation of new boiler, cooling tower, hammermill and product handling equipment. Become Hifert fertiliser dealers. Spring was very soft which helped late crops. Harvest yields where average around 3.5 to 4.0 tonnes to the hectare for wheat.