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Vol. 18 No. 6
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Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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TELETHON RIVER CHALLENGE: MIXX FM Brekky Show announcer Nims Azoor is preparing to take on the Wimmera River. As part of ACE Radio’s August 14 telethon to support Rachael’s Wish fundraising appeal for a Wimmera Cancer Centre, Nims has declared he will brave the chilly water of the Wimmera River in front of the Horsham radio station. He plans to swim to the other side of the river and back again – several times, depending on the generosity of the Wimmera community. Nims will only take on the challenge for every $5000 donated towards the appeal during the telethon, which runs from 9am, simulcast on both MIXX FM and 3WM. Fundraising activities are already in full swing. Anytime Fitness Horsham is hosting a 12-hour treadmill marathon today with an aim to raise $5000. Runners will take half-hour shifts on the treadmill for a 12-hour period, paying for their spot and gaining sponsorship from friends and family. Anytime Fitness Horsham is also donating $3 for every kilometre completed on the day. Picture: KELLY LAIRD
Milk for the world BY DEAN LAWSON
M
ilk produced from a multi million-dollar dairy-farming venture in the west Wimmera is destined for tables of consumers around the world.
Camperdown Dairy International, CDI, has confirmed it will export all of the milk produced from its 3600-herd Neuarpurr farm, part of a broader five-farm national operation involving a daily milking herd of 46,000. Neuarpurr is the first of the farms in the project and will start operating in the first quarter of next year. Operations manager Tim
Nowell said milk from Neuarpurr would ultimately find its way to a variety of countries as part of a CDI project to produce nutritional infant formula and niche-market whole-milk powder for export from Melbourne. “The overall project is aimed at the trending increase in the gap between available quality protein sources and demand for quality protein,” he said. “Australia represents a position of clean, disease-free environment with stable government and extremely high food-production standards. “Demand for our products comes from regions where there are growing populations that are also experiencing improve-
ments in standards of living. They have a desire for highquality food and CDI wants to help fill that gap in world nutrition.” Neuarpurr milk will undergo a drying process at Camperdown.
First stage
Mr Nowell: “The farms are the first stage of our integrated model. High-production and intensive sustainable dairies allow for production efficiencies via economies of scale. Milk production from the farms does not vary season-to-season or dayto-day, unlike traditional dairies that are dependent on seasonal conditions. “Going forward, each farm
will produce between 50-million and 200-million litres of whole milk a year.” Mr Nowell said purchase of the 3000-hectare west Wimmera property had been formalised and CDI would inject a further $55-million into its development during the next 12 months. “Neuarpurr fitted our business-model requirements. It had sound water quality, productive soils, a sound community and supportive government departments,” he said. “When the farm is up and running we anticipate it will employ a full-time staff of about 80 as well as contractors during the busy cropping time of the year. “The first herd will come from
all over the country and we will then start a breeding program to improve herd quality, productivity and retain heifers to increase herd size.” Mr Nowell said West Wimmera Shire Council had been ‘outstanding’ in its efficiency, support and willingness to help with the project. “The support we have received from the local community has been the same and CDI expects to demonstrate support of the area in return via employment, community backing and procurement of products to support the dairy operation,” he said. “There are a range of community and regional benefits from this project.
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“Regional employment, whether directly or indirectly, will be a major benefit. “With an increase in staff to operate this dairy farm we expect positive flow-on effects for schools, sporting clubs and small-business spending. “Whether you are the publican, hairdresser, baker, fuel distributor, pet-food or farmequipment supplier and so on – all will see great economic benefit from this project. “We also expect to deliver a range of skills sets unique to this project to locals. “Upskilling and training of Wimmera people to work in the organisation will be a key attribute to our success.”