Grant funding expected to attract $60m in agribusiness investment

Ten local agrifood and beverage processing businesses will share in $6.3m from Round Two of the State Government’s Value Add Investment Grants to grow their operations.

State Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis made the announcement last week saying that the state’s contribution would attract more than $60m in investment from the successful businesses to drive growth, diversification, resilience and employment.

The projects include expanding pork, poultry and smallgoods processing, converting crop waste to stock feed, enhancing supplies and range of food ingredients, increasing vegetable processing output, and upgrading wine and brewery facilities.

Ms Jarvis said the funding enables WA food and beverage processors and manufacturers to overcome supply chain challenges, reduce reliance on imported and interstate processed products, and capture value adding opportunities.

One of the recipients was NewCo Mills, which received $750,000 to help “establish a stock feed grain mill to produce stock feed for WA livestock and animal industries”.

The mill has been highly publicised after the Australian Planning Commission voted last year to approve its $24.7m Bullsbrook stock feed mill, despite the City of Swan council knocking the project back.

NewCo Mills will supply horse stock feed manufacturer Thompson and Redwood as well as Westpork.

The mill is expected to add $17m to the WA economy per year, with jobs for 43 permanent employees.

Thompson and Redwood general manager Stephen Lamond said the new grain mill will be a huge boost to the industry in the north of Perth, and “quadruple production capacity”.

He said they “reached capacity 4-5 years ago” and had been outsourcing some of its production to meet the demand, both here and in the eastern states.

Mr Lamond said Westpork would benefit from a supplier close to its Gingin breeder facility.

Another recipient was The British Sausage, Ham and Bacon Company in Bibra Lake, which also received $750,000 to install a new production facility to expand its smallgoods output.

Milne Agrigroup will create dedicated production areas and lines for poultry and pork processing with $525,000.

D. Trandos and Sons will install capital equipment to convert crop waste into a high value, high quality cattle feed with $262,039.

Homestyle Vegetable Processors will use the $603,796 in funding to implement an automated processing line to increase processing output.

And Stella Bella Wines will upgrade its plant and equipment to increase production capacity for small batch premium wines with $750,000 in funding.

Ms Jarvis said the program was delivering results, with Round One recipients investing $142m in the sector, creating an estimated 600 new jobs since 2021.

She said independent modelling showed this investment produced an additional $692m in revenue for recipients, generating direct benefits to the WA economy.

“This important initiative is assisting our food and beverage industry to grow and thrive, as it pivots in response to supply chain disruptions and market challenges in recent years,” Ms Jarvis said.

“I am excited by the new projects which will expand and diversify these businesses, especially those improving their sustainability to satisfy environmental, social and customer expectations.

“This valuable grants program is supporting businesses to pursue goals and aspirations with confidence, creating jobs and flow-on benefits throughout the supply chain, and helping to diversify the WA economy.”