Mr Grogan declined to elaborate further when approached yesterday, and chief executive Keith Cooper said little should be read into the incident at last week's board meeting.
But it occurs at a key period for the meat co-operative as it makes major changes to the way it operates and prepares to raise new capital from shareholders through a share issue.
It was also planning a governance review, which included reducing the size of the board from its current 12 members.
A Manawatu sheep and beef farmer, Mr Grogan was one of two North Island directors on the board, having been elected in February 2008.
He was also a member of the company's North Island shareholders council.
Chairman Eoin Garden earlier this year said the capital would be used to boost investment in the company, especially its pasture-to-plate strategy, and to insulate itself from the recession.
In April, SFF announced it would this year launch consumer brands, change its supply management, install robotic and X-ray yielding technology along with a continued push to find new markets for sheepmeat outside the United Kingdom and Europe.
