John Bennett: 2017 industry legend
SEPTEMBER 2017 | Antonia Howarth-Wass
THE SIGNIFICANCE of the award to John Bennett AM of Ashgrove Cheese Pty Limited as the ‘Farming Legend of 2017’ will be appreciated by those who have been involved in the dairy and beef industries Australia wide.
On 16 August 2017, John, his wife Connie, son Paul and daughters Susan, Mary and Anne, travelled to Canberra to receive congratulations. “This award”, says John, “reflects the individual endeavour of myself, and my extended family and also the efforts in restructuring the dairy industry as a whole.”
Reforms were required to antiquated 1930s laws. It started in 1974 when he set up a Secretariat in Melbourne, obtained professional assistance, then toured the country holding meetings in country towns gaining support of the state dairy farmer organisations to alter the marketing strategies which improved and empowered farmers nationally.
Dairy farmers led changes to the cattle industry generally. The formation of the National Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme in 1982 is just one of the strategies implemented. It is a national effort to allow farmers to use genetic material for improvement of the herd.
“We are not the biggest” says John, “but Ashgrove is probably the largest of the smaller producers in Tasmania.”
John and his family were at the beginning of the farm processing movement in the early 1980’s and are now running a business recognised all over the country.
“My focus has always been,” he says, “to make things better. A commitment to research, helping farmers and creating product with market relevance.”
The motto of this remarkable farmer and businessman comes as advice to look beyond, embrace cultural and rural diversity and to transcend boundaries by remaining focused. In this case it has produced a winner.
Photo | photo supplied
