ONE of the country's leading cereal breeders hopes to keep its home in Western Australia after announcing plans to establish a state-of-the-art plant breeding facility, with the preferred location being the State government's recently announced multidisciplinary agricultural precinct.
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InterGrain was thrilled to be included in the government's plans for the new precinct which will deliver a collaborative, multidisciplinary science precinct based at Murdoch University's campus in Perth.
InterGrain's proposed new breeding facility was part of the company's triple node commitment to breeding programs across Australia, which includes a new facility in Horsham, Victoria and the establishment of a seed production site at Narrbari, New South Wales.
Chief executive officer Tress Walmsley said being invited to be a part of the WA agriculture precinct was a fantastic opportunity to be located alongside other grains research organisations.
"The WA precinct will create a community of scientists and industry experts, significantly increasing the engagement opportunities for InterGrain and collectively elevating the Australian grains industry onto the international scientific stage," Ms Walmsley said.
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"The precinct planned for Murdoch is InterGrain's preferred location for its headquarters and it is working through shareholder approvals for this site."
InterGrain's new plant breeding headquarters will showcase innovative breeding technologies, enhance efficiencies and drive onfarm profitability through the delivery of higher yielding varieties.
It will target a five-star Green Star design sustainability rating and will house InterGrain's management, warehouse operations, grain quality laboratories and plant growth facilities.
The company is also investing in new modern facilities at Horsham, having recently signed a 20-year plus options pre-lease on a development site.
"The Horsham facility is a key hub for InterGrain's activities and will provide a springboard for future growth across the east coast," Ms Walmsley said.
"The new build will significantly drive operational efficiency by increasing storage facilities, improving pest control, and introducing temperature control and dust extraction to enhance the working environment."
Construction of the new Horsham facility will commence in early 2023 and is expected to be completed late next year.
As a part of the triple node commitment to breeding programs across Australia, InterGrain also entered into a lease agreement with the NSW Department of Primary Industries at
Narrabri, allowing the company to expand trial network capability and commercial seed production in north-eastern grain growing regions.
