BIRCHIP Cropping Group (BCG) has honoured four of its foundation members with life memberships.
Last week at the research organisation's trials review day Ian and Anne McClelland and John and Robyn Ferrier received their life memberships after a staggering 128 years of combined service to BCG since its inception in 1992
All four have filled a number of roles at the organisation over the years, Mr McClelland and Mr Ferrier both having stints as chair, with Mr Ferrier the current chair.
BCG's vice chair Greg Kuchel said the award was fitting for the quartet, all of who farm in the Birchip district.
"Without the vision of these four hard working people and their unwavering passion and dedication the organisation would not be where it is today," Mr Kuchel said at the review day.
"All have helped BCG overcome profound challenges like the millennium drought, playing a key role in expanding local research, development and extension at a time when resources were being pulled from state government bodies."
The two couples join just two other BCG life members, David Smith and Rodney Mitchell who were bestowed the honour in 2016.
Mr Smith, who served as BCG board member alongside all four recipients said the McClellands and Ferriers embodied the passion for agriculture and community that had made BCG a success.
"Every person that comes to BCG, they make welcome, over the years they have hosted hundreds of people in their homes."
"The four did all this work for BCG this while continuing to farm and raise families.
"I remember they would come home then host board meetings at their homes, look after those staying with them, go to bed and get up and do it all again because they could see the value in it."
From its humble beginnings as the Birchip Cropping Demonstration Sites in 1992, BCG now employs 26 staff and operates 150 plus trials throughout the Wimmera-Mallee and is widely recognised as one of the nation's major farmer-driven research organisations.
All four spoke of their love for BCG and what it had brought their community.
"We originally started BCG for our community," Mr McClelland said.
"We used to have conversations within the community in the 1990s on whether our children come home and will we have shops in town, and that has been an important part of what BCG has done in helping create viable communities.
"Our communities are at the heart of what we do at BCG and our mission is to help them prosper."