Duncan and Jess Barber named The Weekly Times Coles 2019 Sheep Farmer of the Year

The Weekly Times
February 26, 2020 12:00am

 Australia’s top beef, cropping, dairy, horticulture, innovative and sheep farmers have been recognised at The Weekly Times Coles 2019 Farmer of the Year Awards. The following three growers vied for the title of Sheep Farmer of the Year.

WINNER: DUNCAN AND JESS BARBER

METCALFE, VIC

Big is best: Duncan and Jess Barber have employed a slow and steady expansion strategy over the past 15 years.

TRADITION, PROFITS GO HAND IN HAND

DUNCAN and Jess Barber’s traditional sheep enterprise has hit perfect harmony.

Using a slow and steady expansion strategy over the past 15 years, the couple has invested in a quartet of properties, multiplied sheep numbers, boosted their wool’s quality and strength, all while doubling production volume.

Unusually, they have done it with a style of Merino sheep that predates four generations of their family.

Operating under the “get big or get out” philosophy, the Barbers run 25,000 Saxon Merinos and a crossbred flock, spreading the livestock across four landholdings.

The Barbers’ original Saxon Merino flock was inherited with their main property, Coliban Park at Metcalfe in central Victoria, when it was bought by Duncan’s great grandparents in 1859.

The Barbers are forward thinkers, but their loyalty to traditional Saxons sometimes raises eyebrows. Duncan, however, believes the flock’s longevity speaks for itself.

“They’ve (sheep) been here longer than we have and they are obviously doing something right,” he says.

The sheep certainly can’t take all the credit.

The Barbers devised a clever long-term growth plan. They lease land, sell the surplus sheep at the end of each lease, then put the profit into buying land.

“Back when I came home (to the farm at 16) I worked out my parents were paying 24 per cent interest and about a 10 per cent wool levy, so 34 per cent of their gross income was coming out — we needed to get ahead by getting bigger,” Duncan says.

Another smart move has been adjusting shearing time to early autumn, to boost wool quality and lambing percentages. To control costs, they do the majority of the farm work themselves, only hiring in contractors for shearing.

Wool quality is the high note on their song sheet. Last year, the Barbers were awarded the prestigious Vitale Barberis Canonico Wool Excellence Award, which recognises ethical, environmental and high-quality wool production.

Duncan says the benefit of being a member of the VBC Wool Excellence Club is that the contracts are well-above market value and offer a premium for their Saxon-style wool, which encourages them to improve.

Expansion may mean more risk and profit, but for Duncan the bigger challenge is something he enjoys.

Their passion for excellence and comprehensive plan to build a positive future for their traditional flock clearly stands the Barbers apart, and makes them worthy winners of The Weekly Times Coles 2019 Sheep Farmer of the Year.