JOHN Seabrook isn't after handouts or help - but he would like his generation to be more involved in politics.
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While he doesn't hold aspirations to follow in his father Tony's footsteps as Pastoralists and Graziers Association president, John wants young people to start having an interest in politics, in particular agri-politics.
In past years, he has been an active member of the Royal Agricultural Society's Youth Advisory Committee, the PGA and the Young Liberals.
These days, he's taken a step back to work on the family's 1300 hectare farm at York while Tony Seabrook runs the PGA.
Growing up on the farm, John attended Guildford Grammar and completed a TAFE qualification in environmental sciences, an education he said helps in his role of making farm decisions.
While his older brother and younger sister decided to pursue careers off the farm, he decided to stay and work in the family business.
"I love the freedom that working on the farm gives me - even if I won Lotto I reckon I would still be farming," John said.
The family has been part of the WA farming landscape for seven generations.
Originally from Brookton and then Roebourne, they established the York property in the late 1800s.
While cropping remains the mainstay, the farm has taken advantage of high lamb prices and good feed, fattening lambs from November to May.
"Dad and I make the big decisions together at the start of the season and I manage the day-to-day operations,'' he said.
As well as juggling PGA commitments, the family's Ag Imports business keeps his father busy.
Ag Imports is the Australian distributor for Vector machinery and imports Lonking loaders and forklifts.
"For us, the decision to get into machinery imports came from wanting a better deal for ourselves on equipment," John said.
"We were tired of everyone along the way tagging their margin on and no-one was willing to negotiate, which is why we have gone direct."
It's a general theme for John - wanting to remain competitive without needing handouts.
"If I ran the farm the way our governments run the country, I'd be out of business," he said.
"One of the best things I was taught by Dad when I was growing up was when it comes to your income, you invest, save and also put some away for a rainy day.
"It feels these days like everyone has got their hands up for a handout and no one wants to do the hard work to be successful."
John understands his generation's disillusionment with agri-politics.
He said the widening divide between the bush and city meant that people were less likely to understand, and therefore not get involved in the issues facing Australian agriculture.
"My generation doesn't want to get involved in agriculture, there's this mentality that if it doesn't affect them, then there's nothing to worry about," he said.
"We need to see a refreshing change in politics - where representatives can speak their minds and stop promising everything to get votes if it can't be delivered on."
Turning to the family farm, John said he would like to expand but was cautious in an over-hyped market.
"Politicians keep talking about this is the 'golden era' or boom time in agriculture. It's not a boom time, we have been innovating and adapting for a long time,'' he said.
"The problem is that we need to be cautious about expanding when the price of land is high and there is such a hype around the industry.
"Like any decision, we need to take the emotion out and make sure we make sound business decisions based on whether there will be a good return on investment."
