b'company through those issues in the eighties, says Trevor. It wasnt only the banks we had to contend with. It was also the farmers needing cash flow as well. It was all a bit of massaging here and massaging thereit was just an ongoing battle on those early days. Trevors first week in the business withDenis was in Japan, knocking on doors,trying to make contacts to get into the export market for the Japanese dairy cattle industry. It certainly didnt happen overnight, says Trevor. But Denis doggedly persisted with it and within a couple of years, it started to show some significant benefits. And its grown ever since.Rob Diekman is another long-serving staff member who started in 1984 and has worked for Johnsons for forty years, starting in the production team and eventually becoming purchasing manager.I started in the chaff mill, working with Chriswith Johnsons in the mid-1980s, remembers Johnson, and then in the oat factory loadingwhat a pleasure it was to work with them. containersitchy, itchy, oat bags, he says. ItWeve been farming here since around the was hard work and hot work. But at 5 oclock,late 1870s and probably the biggest part of wed all go across to the pub and replenish our farming enterprises is hay, he explains. the fluids. To have the Johnsons come in and start their export business allowed us to near-on double Having strong relationships with the our production in the first year. One thing farmers has also been a priority for theIlove about the Johnsons culture is that they Johnsonsall the way back to the Stockportlove to involve the farmer. They make us feel days and the Rohde family. Gavin Schuster,important to and part of their business.afifth-generation farmer who started dealing JOHNSONS100 YEARS IN THE MAKING NEW GENERATION, NEW IDEAS 51'