Callum Murphy is an Australian potato grower whose family’s relationship with McCain Foods Ballarat spans three generations. Callum, his father, and his grandfather have worked with McCain for 40 years to streamline production and create a relationship that is mutually beneficial.
Callum Murphy of AP Murphy and Sons in Dunnstown, Victoria is proud to uphold his family’s relationship with McCain Ballarat for the third consecutive generation. “The relationship has been solid and it’s reliable to work with McCain. We work with them each year to improve output,” Callum says.
Callum’s grandfather, Leo, began supplying potatoes to McCain 1980. At the time, Leo could never have anticipated that this relationship would span four decades and define the direction of his business for his son and grandson. Leo stood down from his leading role on the farm in 2000 to pass it on to his son, Greg, and later his grandson, and the relationship with McCain is part of that legacy.
During his time working on the farm, Callum has been faced with the challenges of increased cost of production and drought, and has looked to agtech innovations to increase sustainability on-farm. In the face of drought, Callum revolutionised water use on-farm through the implementation of lateral irrigation. These large machines travel across the paddock to distribute water in an efficient and sustainable way.
Callum has also been working with McCain in order to increase sustainability, specifically through trialling new varieties of potatoes in order to identify crops that produce a higher yield while requiring a reduced input.
.
While Callum’s grandfather, who is now 89, no longer works on the farm in a large capacity, he still stops by to do odd jobs and look fondly on what he built for his family.
Each year, AP Murphy and Sons have worked closely with McCain to improve output and develop an ever-more mutually beneficial relationship. “We’re in some of the best country in the world to grow potatoes; and with McCain only 15 minutes away, it works well for everyone involved,” Callum says. “I can see the relationship we’ve created continuing with more future generations on our farm.”
Source: McCain Foods Ballarat
