{{Use Australian English|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} Sir '''Eric Fleming Smart''' OBE (12 October 1911 – 10 June 1973) was a Western Australian wheat-farmer, grazier, and local government councillor.<ref name=ADB>{{cite AuDB |first=John |last=Gladstones |author-link= |title=Smart, Sir Eric Fleming (1911–1973) |volume=16 |edition= |year=2002 |id2=smart-sir-eric-fleming-11715 |access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref> His innovation achieved record grain and wool yields; he also pioneered modern agricultural methods for fertilisation and pest control.<ref name="TheWest100">{{citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Harvey |first1=Ben |last2=Hatch |first2=Daniel |title=100 most influential: The business leaders who shaped WA – 1829-2013 |url=https://info.thewest.com.au/westadvertising/feature/20131129/downloads/feature.pdf |publisher=The West Australian |archiveurl=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20200127170436/https://info.thewest.com.au/westadvertising/feature/20131129/downloads/feature.pdf |archivedate=27 January 2020 |url-status=live |date=29 November 2013 |access-date=31 January 2020 }}</ref><ref name=RASWA>{{cite web |title=SMART OBE Sir Eric Fleming |url=https://www.raswa.org.au/hall_of_fame/smart-obe-sir-eric-fleming-smart/ |publisher=Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia |accessdate=31 January 2020 |archiveurl=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20180327125254/http://www.raswa.org.au/hall_of_fame/smart-obe-sir-eric-fleming-smart/ |archivedate=27 March 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Smart was knighted in 1966 for outstanding service to agriculture.<ref name=WP>{{cite web |last1=Pendal |first1=Philip |title=Sir Eric Smart: The Farmer |url=https://parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/bdcebf6403782d9448257cae002a1d9c/1415b8239249100048257839002aa818/$FILE/MP354%20Pendal%20P.PDF |website=Westralian Portraits |publisher=|via=Parliament of Western Australia |accessdate=31 January 2020 |pages=280–285 }}</ref>

==Early life== Smart was born at Narridy, South Australia, on 12 October 1911 to farmer Percival Horace Smart and his wife Lilian Louise, née Rogers. He was their third child. Smart attended Washpool Public School, and Adelaide's Prince Alfred College as a boarder. As an 18-year-old Smart was sharefarming, and had a salt delivery business.<ref name=ADB/>

==Farming and innovation in Western Australia== With savings of £200, Smart moved to Western Australia in 1934 to a share farming opportunity at Watheroo.<ref name=RASWA/> Despite the tough economic conditions, he grew his farming business throughout the Wheatbelt.<ref name="TheWest100"/> Smart moved to Wongan Hills in 1940,<ref name=RASWA/> where he purchased a {{convert|10000|acre|adj=on}} station.<ref name="TheWest100"/> He bought {{convert|25000|acres}} at Mingenew in 1946, later increasing the size to {{convert|80000|acres}} by buying unimproved land. Smart also leased an additional {{convert|7000|acres}}.<ref name=ADB/>

Smart increased soil fertility through the planting of the Western Australian blue lupin, which would thrive in sandy conditions if superphosphates were used. Lupin had previously known for being sown in red soils near Geraldton and Gingin to feed sheep. Smart was supportive of scientific research and allowed trials to occur at his property Erregulla Springs. Agricultural practices developed included introducing clovers after initial fertility increases, to increase productivity; pest control through aerial insect spraying; and using nitrogen to fertilise cereals.<ref name=ADB/> As of the 2010s, those techniques are still in use in modern farming.<ref name="TheWest100"/>

Smart was visited by representatives of the United States wheat industry in 1963. By this time he was the largest individual grain producer in the world. Smart travelled to the eastern states of Australia, visiting agricultural society shows, colleges, and other public events to publicise his achievements and Western Australia's opportunities.<ref name=WP/>

Smart was appointed O.B.E. in 1955, and was knighted in 1966 for his outstanding services to agriculture.<ref name=WP/> Smart retired in 1966 due to his deteriorating health.<ref name="TheWest100"/>

==Personal life and other roles== Smart married Jean Constance Davis on 15 September 1938, at Adelaide's Pirie Street Methodist Church. They had a son and two daughters.<ref name=ADB/>

Smart authored a booklet ''West Australian Wasteland Transformed'' in 1960, in which he explained his techniques and philosophy.<ref name=ADB/>

He served several terms in local governments: Wongan-Ballidu Road Board from 1947 to 1949, Mingenew Road Board from 1950 to 1956 and from 1958 to 1960, and the renamed Mingenew Shire Council from 1961 to 1967.<ref name=ADB/>

Smart died on 10 June 1973 from a coronary occlusion, at his home in Dalkeith. He was cremated with Anglican rites.<ref name=ADB/>

==Legacy== Smart bequeathed $200,000 to the University of Western Australia to continue his research, focusing on the use of lupins on land in the West Midlands.<ref name=ADB/> The university's Sir Eric Smart Scholarship is funded from Smart's bequest and a donation from his son Peter, and {{as of|2019|12|lc=yes}} had supported 20 students.<ref>{{cite web |title=Research to improve broadacre farm profitability |url=http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/2019121011769/agriculture-research-economics-sheep-merino/research-improve-broadacre-farm-profitabil |website=University News |publisher=The University Of Western Australia |accessdate=31 January 2020 |archiveurl=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20191226000000/http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/2019121011769/agriculture-research-economics-sheep-merino/research-improve-broadacre-farm-profitabil |archivedate=25 December 2019 |date=10 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Smart was recognised as one of the most influential Western Australian businessmen in ''The West Australian''{{'s}} 2013 list of the 100 most influential.<ref name="TheWest100"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== {{refbegin}} *{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Cooksey |first1=Helen |last2=Craven |first2=Eve Karslake |title=The Smart men of farming: the story of Peter & Eric Smart, Erregulla Springs and Erregulla Plains |year=2001 |publication-date=2001 |publisher=H. Cooksey | isbn=978-0-646-40744-9 }} {{refend}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Eric}} Category:20th-century Australian farmers Category:Australian Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Category:1911 births Category:1973 deaths Category:People educated at Prince Alfred College Category:Farmers from Western Australia Category:Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire