Now in its 180th year, Elders is focusing on the future by investing heavily in technical services support for customers, helping farmers adopt research, increasing uptake of technology and helping producers understand data to enhance productivity.

Head of Technical Services, Graham Page, says that with the strength of heritage behind them, the company is now looking to the future of farming, offering services that provide outstanding value for Australia’s farmers.

“We are passionate about the industry and operate with an understanding of the industry’s challenges,” Mr Page said.

Elders’ commitment to the horticulture industry was reinforced by the recent purchase of Ace Ohlsson, a leading services and inputs provider to primary producers of horticulture crops across New South Wales. As well-established leaders in the horticulture industry, Ace Ohlsson has proven to be a strategic and cultural fit for Elders, strengthening our breadth of horticultural and technical specialists across the country.

With its headquarters in Adelaide, and some operations internationally, Elders recently expanded and diversified its technical services, with several specialised divisions.

The flagship research and development arm, the Thomas Elders Institute (TEI) is a leading partnership with public and private R&D companies and Australian universities, which puts Elders at the heart of agricultural collaboration. TEI seeks to bridge the gap between R&D outcomes and their application at the farm gate. Elders’ research has provided significant practical advancements to the horticulture sector, and wider industries.

“Our work on the ground with the Australian Potato Industry is testament to our commitment," Mr Page said. "As a leading provider of certified Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) potato seed, our potato varieties have unique strengths including higher yields, lower disease status and higher general disease resistance than industry competitors."

Thomas Elder Consulting (TEC) is a network of fully independent and industry recognised consultants, which provides clients with a premium service that drives towards long-term, sustainable profitability. Using the latest technological and digital platforms, TEC is built on the foundations of strong research.

Through sustained investment in cutting-edge, industry leading research, an expansive network of expert consultants and a commitment to the latest technology and innovation in digital services, Elders wants to continue to be an iconic name in rural Australia, and build upon its reputation as a leader in the industry.