DAVID Power and Tony Parle were Introduced to a recent farmer forum at Wellington, NSW, as horticultural 'heroes'. While they were embarrassed by the hero tag, both are farmers who have succeeded against heavy odds. During the past eight years Tony Parle, 39, has gone from "hick farmer from the back-blocks of Griffith" (his words) to be the sole supplier of gherkins to the McDonalds fast-food empire in Australia. Along the way he has created a business with assets of almost 6 million dollar. And David Power has built an innovative export business supplying top-quality fresh asparagus direct to the doors of Japanese supermarkets in ready-to-buy bunches. Power and Parle were invited to speak to the Wellington forum to show potential horticultural producers in the NSW Macquarie Valley that the fruit-and-vegetable sector offers rewards and opportunities as well as challenges and risks. Farmers can succeed in horticulture with persistence, guts and flair. The audience was enthralled as our two down-to-earth 'heroes' recounted their tough journeys to success. The Australian Farm Journal was part of that appreciative audience. DAVID Power says the greatest threat to his award-winning asparagus-export business to Asia is that he will lose his will to win.
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