SOCIAL PHOTOS: Esperance Organised Primary Producers celebrate 50 years of forward thinking and collaboration

Fifty years of forward thinking, collaboration and buying power were celebrated by Esperance Organised Primary Producers in Esperance on Friday, September 2.

The success was toasted by more than one hundred shareholders; suppliers; staff and current and past board members as they shared stories of the early days of the co-operative and discuss the plans for the future.

The co-operative, initially called Esperance Organised Purchasing Power, still has a core purpose of providing volume discounted farming merchandise across the region while helping suppliers to streamline billing and building the capacity of the region through business investments, professional development and scholarships.

Today, EOPP has 457 shareholders and a strong network of suppliers across the Esperance Port Zone — a far cry from the beginning when Gibson farmer Lyle Shipard proposed the idea of a co-operative to a group farmers in 1971.

EOPP chair Deon Lay, who farms at Condingup, was delighted with the success of the event in drawing together many of the early influencers and members.

“EOPP has been a driving force in this region for fifty years and much of that is attributed to our people and their vision and commitment,” he said.