A FORMER chairman of the company hoping to buy up 70 South West Victorian dairy farms, Graham Duff, has distanced himself from the project.
Colac identity, Mr Duff was originally listed as chairman of Linear Capital, the company seeking to set up the integrated dairy processor.
Linear Capital announced last September it wanted to buy up to 70 properties, through regional real estate agent Charles Stewart, and set up two processing factories.
"I have an involvement but not in the current dealings," Mr Duff said.
"Everyone is fishing for information and I am not prepared to give any," he said.
He was critical of Linear director, Troy Harper, a Hobart property developer, after being told all inquiries were being directed to a public relations firm.
"I can't understand why he (Troy) wouldn't want to talk," Mr Duff said.
Mr Duff was also a former Racing Victoria and North Melbourne Football Club chairman.
He and Mr Harper were joint directors of Australian Racing Board in 2004.
Mr Harper has set up another company, Aerem Holdings, which his international public relations firm, FTI International, said would run the integrated dairy project.
FTI strategic communications senior director Sarah Browne said Linear, along with other investors currently being sought, would be a shareholder in Aerem.
"We'll be more than happy to provide more detailed information as the process progresses but, for now, the team really is focused on talking directly to the farmers and the investors," Ms Browne said.
A company search showed Aerem is registered to a Parkville, Victoria, address; Troy Harper was listed as sole director and company secretary.
It has an issued capital of 100 shares, at a $1 each.
Timelines for the project have progressively blown out, since it was first announced.
Since October, Mr Harper has said the company was looking at a range of financing options, to build two processing plants and set up an integrated dairy group, to export milk products.
United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (UDV) president Adam Jenkins said Linear needed to "come clean.
"We welcome investment, whether it is foreign or local," Mr Jenkins said.
"From the UDV's point of view, we want it to be above board and transparent.
"If it's not done properly, and it comes undone, it can put the whole industry's confidence at risk when we are asking for capital," he said.
It did not bode well for other farmers, wanting to go down the same track.
"It's starting to get a bit long in the tooth; let's call a spade a spade and move on," Mr Jenkins said.
Farmers, who declined to be named, confirmed offers were still being made to buy properties and employ owners as managers.
One said the contract with Linear, to buy her property, had expired.
But two of the area's prominent dairy producers, Donna Edge and Chris Gleeson, said the failure of Linear or Aerem to be fully open about their plans and progress was hurting the industry.
Mr Gleeson, of Elm Banks Holsteins, Crossley, said if the project failed to eventuate, more farmers would leave the industry.
"It's great making all these deals, but, at the end of the day, it hasn't delivered any better farm gate prices," Mr Gleeson said.
"Farmers are getting anxious – it's put dairy industry in more disarray and we don't need that," he said.
And Ms Edge, of Wyena Holsteins, Carpendeit, said people who wanted to get out of the industry had been "strung along."
"They've been told they are going to buy the farm and give you a job," Ms Edge said.
"They've interviewed lots of people for jobs, but nothing has eventuated."