2014 September

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA September 2014 Volume 4 LEADERS IN THE FIELD The men at the top of the RAS RAS CONCEPT PLAN THE FUTURE OF THE SHOWGROUND UNVEILED HIGH-TECH HARVEST NEW EXHIBIT DISPLAYS TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE CONTENTS CULTIVATE WA September 2014 | Volume 4 WHAT’S INSIDE 4 New CEO Peter Cooper is steering the Show into the future 7 Centre Stage New play and pastoral passions 8 RAS President Rob Wilson - instrumental in updating the image of agriculture 10 RAS Concept Plan The future looks bright 12 Meet our Guests Broome and India under the spotlight 4 14 Farmtech Advances in agriculture 16 Disco Dogs Canines move to the beat 19 Home and Away Claremont Football Club moves in VIEW FROM THE TOP Welcome to the Show edition of our magazine, Cultivate WA. As the new president of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA I am looking forward to keeping 8 education at the core of our organisation. Our new Farmtech exhibit, which you can read about in these pages, will showcase how modern and progressive our farmers are. See you at the Show! 12 14 Dr Rob Wilson, President The RAS of WA CONTACT US If you would like information about any of the articles please email us at [email protected] Publisher: Royal Agricultural Society of WA Claremont Showground, 1 Graylands Road Claremont WA 6010 | Telephone: 08 6263 3100 16 NEW CEO ON WITH THE SHOW The youngest ever CEO of the Royal Agricultural Society, father-of-two Peter Cooper, has a clear vision for his role in the evolving organisation rom a youngster with particularly to those who vague ambitions to a have little connection with Fhigh-flier within private the land and where their and government enterprises, food is sourced. the Royal Agricultural Society’s new CEO Peter “For many city children the Cooper has found success Show is the first experience through his willingness to they have of farming. adapt and turn his hand to “Following research any task on offer. undertaken by the RAS we Having spent three years know only about two per as chief operating officer, cent of visitors to the event Mr Cooper is no stranger are from an agricultural to the RAS. Following the background. retirement of former CEO “How good is it that, as an Martin Molony, he was keen organisation, we can improve to step up and take on the that figure.” task of steering the RAS through changing times. With education as the core of the RAS, Mr Cooper says last With an MBA and MBEAM year’s Farm 2 Food exhibit (Asset Engineering) from the has pointed the way ahead. University of WA and a wide background of corporate “It was a massive success. management experience When an exhibit is attracting behind him, Mr Cooper is more than 22,000 visitors well-prepared to be at the daily you know you are on frontline of the RAS. the right track!” Mr Cooper believes he is in The impact of that display an ideal situation to position has placed a full-throttle agriculture and the Perth effect on this year’s exhibits. Royal Show to play a pivotal role within society. “This year will see greater interactive displays which “As far as the Show goes, will highlight the use of we will focus on careful technology used on-farm change,” he says. in making key decisions and improving efficiencies “Every year about 450,000 in cereal and livestock people come through the production,” he says. Claremont Showground gates to celebrate “This in turn will promote everything West Australian. better understanding of the origin of our food, be “The RAS is in a unique instrumental in closing position to be able to the farm and urban divide, promote the ever-increasing command a greater respect importance of agriculture, CULTIVATE WA SEPTEMBER 2014 | 5 NEW CEO AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME and appreciation for our WA farmers and highlight As CEO he sees his key role as moving the RAS sophisticated 21st century technology and show forward to ensure it is in step with modern practices. PLAY WINS PRAISE PASTORAL PASSION how farmers use this equipment to grow crops and livestock for food.” “As a not-for-profit organisation it is essential the The achievements of two leading fiscal element of the society is firmly in place,” A new play commissioned by the At 42, Mr Cooper is a lot younger than his he says. RAS gives WA primary schoolchildren lights of the WA agricultural industry predecessors and the task of paving the way for an insight into the wonderful world have been celebrated with their “The commercial reality of anything the RAS does the RAS to move into the future has to a large of agriculture induction into the RAS Hall of Fame extent been placed at his door. is to make enough money from the development of part of the site to service the debt – whatever Mr Cooper’s varied background shows he is not that is likely to be – to give us the surplus for the fter months of rehearsals a new play “The awson Bradford, renowned for his work afraid of change and is flexible enough to make next stage of the redevelopment. Country Life” is taking primary schools around within the lamb industry, and agricultural the most of any situation. APerth by storm as it tours throughout term Dscientist Professor Clive Francis, have “We will look at multiple funding models. You three in the lead-up to the IGA Perth Royal Show. been inducted into the RAS Hall of Fame. As a 17-year-old he worked in fast food outlets can have partnerships with government, private until he left school to study hospitality and investment, financial institutions; the list goes on… As part of the RAS’ FarmED program, the play uses Popanyinning farmer Dawson Bradford tourism. At 19 he went to a Broome resort chasing to enable the things you need to do.” catchy tunes, energetic choreography, puppetry is a national leader within the prime lamb a job as a pool cleaner. and a fun story-line to raise awareness of where our industry. At his poll dorset stud he adopted For now, Mr Cooper is concentrating on setting food comes from. groundbreaking genetic improvements and On the bus to Broome he met his future wife systems and processes in place to ensure the stock from his Hillcroft farm stud produces Marnie. In Broome he ended up doing bar work internal effectiveness of the organisation. prime lamb sires that are rated in the top one then left for Darwin to pursue a job at the per cent within Australia. Sheraton Hotel. “We will be putting into place new financial management systems, new software and new Mr Bradford also played a “It took two days to get there and I then found out computerised maintenance and risk systems. large part in early research the hotel was up for sale and there was no job.” on straw-based sheltered “Externally, we will be driving the realistic housing for pigs, now used Undeterred, Mr Cooper took casual jobs in development of the organisation, with a road map throughout the industry. hospitality before following Marnie to Sydney for the next 20 years. where she joined the former Ansett airline. Agricultural scientist Professor “We will be devising ways forward and capitalising Clive Francis (1938-2012) led on opportunities as a result of having a clear the field when it came to the “Any development or any key vision, identifying the needs and the partnerships development of subterranean which will lead to improved facilities, with the clover. He facilitated the initiative we undertake will key objective of delivering value to the Perth collection of seed samples Royal Show. from around the world to need to demonstrate where it Around 25 children gathered at Claremont expand Australia’s capability “Any development or any key initiative we Showground in the July school holidays adds value to the Show.” for biodiversity. undertake will need to demonstrate where it adds to watch a full dress rehearsal of the value to the Show. 45-minute play, funded by the RAS and written This pioneering man devised a groundbreaking Meanwhile, he worked in various roles at the and directed by Kathy Prosser of Possum Music. “It is not about changing the function of the Show, breeding program for more than 20 varieties Sheraton Hotel. When the hotel was sold and of subterranean clover, catapulting his name it is the format that we can make the old into the Featuring three energetic and talented young another bought at Darling Harbour, Mr Cooper into the history of contributions of major new. There are a lot of opportunities out there performers, Kris Kingwell, Kimberley Harris and was elevated to special projects manager, scientific firsts that make WA farming the most in terms of redevelopment that we can take Thomas Moir (pictured), it follows the journey of responsible for reviewing structures within the efficient in a mediterranean zone climate. advantage of.” a city girl, Janet, as she learns about different organisation and implementing new systems. aspects of farming. Like most West Australians, Mr Cooper has fond Established in 1999 under the auspices of When the call came from the conglomerate the RAS, the Agricultural Hall of Fame pays memories of growing up with the Show. “Most of the kids watching the show will be from Westfield to move west as facilities manager, Mr tribute to the men and women who have had the city and Janet’s character gives them someone Cooper took it.

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