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HOSE AT THE READY: Horsham Fire Brigade junior competitors, from left, Claire Longstaff, Arjai Johnston and Riley Innes prepare for Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria State Junior Championships in Kerang this weekend. The Horsham brigade has won the right to host the titles in 2020. Story, page 47. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Protein powder win D
ozens of jobs and fresh broadacre farming opportunities are set to emerge across the region when an Australianfirst plant-protein processing centre starts production in Horsham later this year.
Australian Plant Proteins, a company that has developed a process for extracting high-protein-content powder from pulses such as faba beans, is constructing the facility. Australian Plant Proteins director Phil McFarlane, originally from the Wimmera-Mallee, said development
of the $35-million facility, which will be on the southern outskirts of Horsham, would be in two phases. He confirmed the first stage in Horsham Industrial Estate was on track to start production in the second half of 2019. Mr McFarlane said the facility would initially start with production of faba-bean protein powder and lentils, chickpeas and other pulses were also part of production plans. “The $20-million investment in phase-one development is targeting production of around 2500 tonnes of protein powder per annum and will
lead to 20 new jobs,” Mr McFarlane said. “An additional $15-million will be invested into the second phase to double production to 5000 tonnes per annum by the first quarter of 2021. “It is expected an additional 15 direct jobs will be created with the increase in capacity.” Mr McFarlane, who grew up on a family farm at Brim, said the development represented a major economic and value-adding boost for agricultural industry in the region. “Critically, the Wimmera is the gateway to producing large volumes of
pulses in the southern states of Australia and this will promote the region onto the world food-production stage,” he said. Mr McFarlane said the project was built and had expanded on a concept initially conceived by Wimmera Development Association and the company maintained a strong link with the organisation. Australian Plant Proteins Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of Melbourne-based agribusiness investment company EAT Group. Apart from the Horsham development it is also in the process of estab-
lishing a plant-protein pilot research facility in Werribee to continue development activities with major global food companies. Fellow Australian Plant Proteins director Brendan McKeegan said plantbased proteins had moved well beyond the realm of ‘fringe’ food sources and were gaining popularity in Australia and overseas. He added the change was more than an increasing shift towards vegan and vegetarian diets. Continued page 3
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