The year 2019 is an important year in the life of farm chemical business 4Farmers as it represents 25 years since its establishment as an organisation formed specifically to tackle the big multi-nationals that were dominating the farm chemical industry at the time.
In 1994 there were very few farm chemical suppliers other than the multi-nationals. Prices were high and it was felt that some serious competition was needed.
That led to the formation of 4Farmers, a small private company with co-operative ideas. The primary aim of 4Farmers is to benefit farmers who its principals believed were being given a very poor deal in farm chemicals.
In the beginning 4Farmers simply imported product from overseas making it available to farmers at a price markedly below what the multinationals were selling the same product for.
Rather than being motivated to take big margins, 4Farmers in effect transferred value out of the supply chain to put money back into farmers' pockets.
In the last half of its history, 4Farmers has experienced exponential growth. In 2007 it began to acquire tanks and other equipment to establish its own formulation facility and laboratory.
Today, 4Farmers manufactures 70 per cent of its farm chemical products here in Australia, offering local employment and farmers can be assured that all of its products meet Australian standard specifications with respect to quality and health and safety standards.