Farmer of the Year 2017: Coles managing director John Durkan’s letter

THE winners of The Weekly Times Coles 2017 Farmer of the Year Awards are hitting the mark, writes Coles managing director JOHN DURKAN.

Taste 'N See strawberries is run by the Schiffke and Stothart families from Queensland.

INCREASINGLY, customers tell us they want to know where their food comes from and to be assured it has been produced with care and as naturally as possible.

That’s why the winners of The Weekly Times Coles 2017 Farmer of the Year Awards are hitting the mark.

Take as an example Horticulture Farmer of the Year winner, Taste ‘N See, a Queensland strawberry company run by the Schiffke and Stothart families. Taste ‘N See’s meticulous approach to production and commitment to low chemical use pays dividends when it comes to customers, who know they can rely on the quality of their strawberries.

John Durkan. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Then there’s Beef Farmer of the Year winner, James Millner, who runs one of Australia’s oldest Charolais studs, Rosedale, at Blayney, NSW. James is producing great quality grass-fed beef for Coles and recently launched his own paddock-to-plate brand that is feeding Asia’s growing appetite for Aussie beef.

Meanwhile Innovative Farmer of the Year winner, Tasmanian Saffron, is producing top grade saffron by using chemicals, certified organic pest and fungicide treatments, and picking and processing its product every day.

For the sixth consecutive year, Coles is delighted to be supporting the Farmer of the Year Awards to help recognise outstanding farmers across the country.

Each year, the winners and finalists demonstrate how innovative, adaptable and productive our farming sector is across Australia.

Whether it is Sheep Farmer of the Year winner Jock Nivison, of Yalgoo Genetics at Walcha, NSW, who is taking a new marketing approach to get closer to overseas customers.

Dairy Farmer of the Year winners Dehne and Sarah Vinnicombe, whose business at Calivil in Victoria is making gains through smart risk management.

Or overall winners Matthew and Rachel Hinkley, whose cropping business at Derrinallum, Victoria, has grown by a phenomenal 400 per cent in 13 years.

This year’s winners and finalists again demonstrate why Australia’s agriculture sector has earned its reputation for being clean, green and clever. They deserve to be congratulated.

• John Durkan is managing director of Coles