As lucky as we are to be in the global agricultural industry, we feel even more fortunate to have our patch right here in Australia. There’s no denying that Australian farmers face some significant challenges — our climate is so unique and our land so vast. But there’s nowhere else we’d rather be and when we start getting some of the best moving from the other side of the world to be part of it, you know we’ve got something pretty special.
We caught up with JCB’s Regional Sales Manager, John Plummer, to find out what brought him all the way from the UK to be part of the Aussie ag scene.
“Growing up in Gloucestershire, two hours west of London, I knew from an early age that I wanted to be in agriculture. My cousins had a farm and every chance I’d get — school holidays, long weekends — I’d be over there, getting my hands dirty and learning to drive tractors.
“I jumped at the opportunity to take on a JCB scholarship in 2007 which finished with a Masters in Agricultural Engineering and now a fantastic career with them. I’ve worked in a number of roles with the company and been lucky enough to travel around the world with them, but there’s clearly one spot that got me hooked — and after what was initially an eight-month assignment in 2012, I now call Australia home!
“I arrived in Australia on my own, but got married last February and in just six weeks, our first baby will be joining us. These days, I’m heading up agriculture for JCB’s Pacific region and the last four years in particular have flown by. I love that there is so much diversity in farming between different states and I admire the way Aussie farmers tackle things. I think we’ve got some of the most innovative farming in the world happening right here, with Australians constantly adapting to conditions and adopting new techniques ahead of the pack. There’s a real sense that Australian farmers aren’t afraid of huge risk investments — they do it off their own back, and the majority of the time, it pays off. It’s very exciting to be part of it all.
“And apart from that, the people unbelievably friendly — I love being able to literally bump into a stranger and have a chat. The food and wine here are incredible, and although I recall being permanently sunburnt when I first arrived, I’ve adjusted to it all now. But it’s been some of the little things that stick out in my mind the most about moving across the other side of the world to be part of the industry I love. Like the day I walked into a coffee shop and ordered a cup of tea as I would back home and got a bit of a funny look. The good news is, I’m onto coffee now — it’s nothing like the rubbish back home, you do it well here,” John laughs.
