John Roberts was a man who practiced what he preached. A life on the land as an orchardist then a sheep grazier instilled in him the importance of looking after the environment.
He saw the need to prevent soil degradation, protect waterways, plant trees and shrubs to prevent erosion, and educate the next generation about the importance of looking after the land.
It is fitting then that towards the end of his life he set up the JM Roberts Charitable Trust to address important environmental and agricultural issues and help educate young people about the importance of landcare.
Trustee Steven Hernyk said, “He was a man before his time and certainly took sustainability to another level in establishing the trust during his lifetime.”
John’s vision was clear: "If we looked after our land, we would be able to produce healthy food and therefore healthy people – it is that simple!"
Started in 2003, the trust continues to make a difference to Tasmania and young Tasmanians through scholarships and seed funding to advance sustainable agriculture at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), a specialist institute at the University of Tasmania.
Funding for the JM Roberts and TIA Nuffield Scholarship for Young Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture assists recipients working on projects which support sustainable outcomes for land, water, plants and animals in Tasmania.
Recipient Max Edgley, cultivation manager at Tasmanian Botanics, one of Australia’s leading medicinal cannabis producers and manufacturers, said the scholarship enabled him to bring valuable knowledge home from Europe and America.
“I visited about forty facilities and learned about cannabis production in places where the industries are more mature, as well as countries where it is still developing,” he said.
“It enabled me to see the trends in cultivation and where production technologies might go in future so we can figure out what is the best pathway forward here.”
Max said a future direction that leading companies are taking is sustainability, something Tasmania is well placed to achieve given the State’s access to renewable power.
Another recent recipient was Charles Downie whose travels included the US, Canada and the Netherlands. His conversations with farmers in these markets revealed that effective training and skilled staff were often more important than technological fixes for solving workforce challenges.
Director of TIA Professor Mike Rose said the benefits of the generous support from the trust are two-fold.
“The funding of the Nuffield scholars brings to Tasmania a vision of what is happening internationally, with benefits for Tasmanian farmers,” Professor Rose said.
“The scholars report the results of their travels to TIA staff and its industry development team, who communicate with thousands of Tasmanian farmers each year.
“Secondly, the funding enables early-stage projects dedicated to soil health and the environment to get off the ground in TIA, underpinning the production and sustainability of the State’s agricultural sector.”
The trust is also supporting education through the JM Roberts Springboard to Higher Education program. The Springboard program encourages students to continue into senior secondary school and tertiary study. Since 2017, the trust has provided 18 scholarships to students from schools including Oatlands, Campbell Town and Cressy District High Schools. A number of these students have gone on to university to study a range of subjects.
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Banner Image: Max Edgley, TIA Nuffield Scholar | Image Credit: Li Lai