Pioneering Tablelands banana farmer Dennis Howe dies aged 70

An agribusiness trailblazer whose vision and hard work helped establish a thriving Tablelands banana industry in defiance of those who said it couldn’t be done has lost his long-running battle with lung disease.

James Howe with dad Dennis on their Tablelands family farm. Picture: Supplied

An agribusiness trailblazer whose vision and hard work helped establish a thriving Tablelands banana industry in defiance of those who said it couldn’t be done has lost his long-running battle with lung disease.

Second generation primary producer Dennis Howe died peacefully on Saturday night after a long and highly successful career growing bananas, avocados, sugar cane, coffee, peanuts, lemons and lychees.

He was 70 years old.

Mr Howe took a 256ha property on Bilwon Rd allocated to his parents Tom and Yola after World War II and expanded the tobacco and vegetable farm into a highly successful enterprise spanning an area of 4500ha.

Shane Knuth and Dennis Howe in 2009.

Bob Katter with Mareeba banana farmer Dennis Howe in 2004.

Mr Howe took over the running of the farm after graduating with honours from a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1976 by which time the family had purchased the home farm at Chewko Road, Walkamin.

Son, James, said his dad never forgot his humble beginnings and had a passion for developing the Tablelands and a key northern foodbowl.

“He had a generosity about him and was very willing to share his knowledge with other people and he will be terribly missed,” he said.

Dennis Howe of Howe Farming passed away on Saturday. Picture: Tom Lee

“He always made time for family and that was very important to him and his devotion to his job was indescribable, he skipped a lot of sleep to do what he did and I think he has a lot of catching up to do now he is finally at rest.”

Mr Howe said his father had battled cancer for some time which set him back before finally succumbing to emphysema.

“He maintained a very positive attitude even though he suffered quite terribly toward the end,” he said.

In 1979 Mr Howe began growing avocados in the early 1990s, the first bananas were planted in 1996 and coffee followed in 2000.

FNQ Growers president Joe Moro said Mr Howe was known as a farmer not afraid to challenge preconceived ideas.

Howe Farming’s James Howe, then Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Leanne Donaldson and managing director at Howe Farming Dennis Howe inspect some bananas in Walkamin.

More than a farmer, Mr Moro said his colleague was a businessman at the helm of a large agribusiness that employed 450 staff and one of the biggest avocado producers in the country.

“He was one of the farmers that showed there were ways to expand agriculture on the Tablelands and after the loss of tobacco, he was one of the farmers that showed the way,” he said.

“He challenged the norm and by doing that he led the way and other growers in the area followed his lead.

“He was one of the first to embrace bananas, a lot of people said you can’t grow bananas on the Tablelands but Dennis said he will prove them wrong, he was always investigating the next option.

In 2014 Dennis Howe appeared in national Woolworths TV advertisement.

“He turned (Howe Farming) into a big business but it still (remained) a family farm, he ran it as a company and he saw everything through the lens of it being a business.

“He was perceived as an industry leader, he was a pioneer and also an entrepreneur and looked at the whole supply chain all the way from the farm to the supermarket.

“He definitely revolutionised farming in the Tablelands.

“He will be remembered very fondly and he definitely made a mark, he will not be forgotten.”

Far North grower and chair of the Australian Banana Growers Council, Leon Collins, said with Mr Howe’s passing the industry had lost one of its most passionate advocates and respected leaders.

“I was lucky enough to know him personally, and to say he will be missed is an understatement,” he said.

“Dennis was a truly innovative grower, one who saw the potential of bananas on the Tablelands early and, in doing so, helped to create a stronger, more resilient future for Australian banana growers.

“Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time, his loss will be felt right across our banana community.”

Mr Howe is survived by his two children James and Caitlin.

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Originally published as Pioneering Tablelands banana farmer Dennis Howe dies aged 70