SunPork on Roc's fork?
The potential sale of Australia's largest pork producer, Queensland's family-owned SunPork, is apparently attracting strong interest of expanding agribusiness owner, Roc Partners.
The eight-year-old Roc Partners has agricultural investments in beef through Stone Axe Pastoral Company; honey brand Capilano's parent business, Hive and Wellness, and the Australia's Oyster Coast business.
Media reports have suggested the Australian private equity firm is in serious pursuit of SunPork's trans-Tasman business, estimated to be worth about $800 million.
Currently owned by the Cameron, McLean and Hall families, it produces about 10 per cent of Australia's pig meat, or 80,000 tonnes a year.
The company has 37 farms in southern Queensland, NSW and South Australia and Victoria supplying four processing operations, plus six piggeries in New Zealand, and exports about 10,000t of product annually.
SunPork's third generation business is being marketed by Macquarie Capital which forecasts it will generate about $80 million in earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation this year.
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Nutrien-Longerenog deal
A new three-year partnership between farm services group Nutrien Ag Solutions and the Longerenong College in Victoria intends to provide students a head-start in agriculture.
Nutrien's western Victoria general manager, Rafe Bell, said the partnership with Longerenong College was focused on investing in the future of Australia's agriculture industry.
It would provide students with a foot in the door through practical training and meaningful industry connections.
They would have opportunities to complete work experience with Nutrien's business and gain valuable, hands-on experience through placements with teams in Victoria and South Australia.
The sponsorship agreement will see Nutrien Ag Solutions provide the college with financial and product support specifically for the animal health and nutrition program.
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AACo estate gains $250m
Rising land prices and investment improvements have added another $250 million to the value of the Australian Agricultural Company's 20 pastoral and feedlot holdings, taking it's total valuation to about $1.17 billion.
AACo employed LAWD to conduct an independent assessment as part of the company's 2021-22 financial report for the year to March 31.
The 198-year-old listed company boasts Australia's largest cattle herd of around 340,000 head spread across about one per cent of the Australian mainland in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
It will report its full year results on May 19.
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More horsepower for Ukraine
Agco's Agriculture Foundation has put more money into its Ukraine humanitarian aid program, adding a $US50,000 donation to an initiative called "Borsch", a non-profit Ukrainian organization the Land Club.
The funds will help Borsch contribute to Ukraine's food and nutrition security during the Russian military invasion, particularly the livelihoods of farming communities affected by the war.
The Borsch initiative contributes to purchasing so-called "borsch set" vegetable seeds, namely cabbages, carrots, onions, beetroots and potatoes, for planting in war-affected areas in Ukraine where they are not now available.
In March, the foundation, backed by multinational machinery giant, Agco, donated $US100,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme to assist Ukraine with food supplies and established the Agco Ukraine Emergency Relief ShareTheMeal campaign to give food to those affected by the war.
Agco is the parent company of farm machinery brands Challenger, Fendt, GSI, Massey Ferguson and Valtra.
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Fancy Plant foods
The West Australian farmer who introduced Australians to Mexican chia seeds in 2003, inspiring a new health food craze, now sees plant-based yoghurt-style products as his next big money spinner.
Nuffield scholarship recipient and The Chia Company's founder, John Foss (pictured), has built on his past business achievement with the new Fancy Plants brand, which includes individual serving sized, plant-based, dessert snacks such as Chia Pod and chocolate "Silky Pot",.
He reportedly tips sales could be worth at least $40 million a year by 2025.
Concerned taste and texture have been barriers to plant-based foods being accepted by consumers, the new outfit attempts to use latest technology to replicate the mouthfeel and taste of dairy snacks.
Fancy Plants boasts a development team of "freethinking plant innovators who stop at nothing to bring together the best plant ingredients to make your tastebuds sing, proving eating plant-based is easy, and fabulously delicious".
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Beston lactoferrin wins
Newly installed Beston Global Food Company chief executive officer, Fabrizio Jorge, has reported recent milestones for the company's emerging lactoferrin business.
Beston was granted Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration registration for its Trueferrin branded nutraceutical products for bone and muscle support, growth and immune support and Immune+.
Beston has also won contracts to supply lactoferrin to one of North America's biggest vitamin manufacturers and distributors and a leading Chinese paediatric nutrition company, and will start commercial supplies in the final quarter of the trading year.
Numerous scientific and clinical trials during the past 50 years had shown Lactoferrin to have significant anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties said Mr Jorge, who started with Beston in April, after a career global dairy businesses.
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FMC's LEAD scholars
Agronomist with E.E Muir at Lenswood, South Australia, Georgia Griggs, and Delta Agribusiness human resources co-ordinator, Savannah Coddington at Dubbo, NSW are the recipients of FMC Australia's 2022 LEAD Scholarship Program.
Valued at more than $12,000 each, the two winners will have opportunities to network, learn and share ideas with influential stakeholders in the agriculture industry, in addition to a tailored educational package.
Both will enrol in short courses in leadership and management, sustainability or innovation at Australian Graduate School of Management or similar institutions, and attend industry events, including the National Farmers Federation's 2023 National Conference.
The LEAD scholarship offers recipients the chance to Learn Evolve Apply Develop (LEAD), providing more pathways for women to participate and thrive in agriculture, whilst driving innovation.
It targets aspiring female leaders in Australia or New Zealand involved in agriculture and aged 18 to 35.
FMC's Australasian and ASEAN managing director, Kristina Hermanson, said both recipients stood out for communicating ideas with conviction and clarity, and addressing the challenge of attracting and retaining talent in agriculture.
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Carbon market talk at Wagga
The opportunities and pitfalls for farmers in the emerging carbon economy and what they can expect from regulated and unregulated markets represent a key theme to be explored at the Digital Agrifood Summit 2022 in Wagga Wagga on June 1 and 2.
A keynote presentation on the topic will be delivered by Skye Glenday, chief executive of Climate Friendly, an organisation supporting rural, regional and remote Australians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and regenerate the landscape through carbon farming.
A panel of expert speakers to explore the ideas in further detail will include the Australian Agricultural Company's Naomi Wilson; the Co-Founder of Mullion Group, FLINTpro, Dr Rob Waterworth; co-Founder of SoilCQuest, Guy Webb and Dr Madeline Mitchell from the Food Agility Co-operative Research Centre.
In addition there will be discussion on the future of Australian agriculture with Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Andrew Metcalfe.
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