Gippsland graziers and stock agents have welcomed the purchase of the Moe meatworks, by H.W Greenham.
The company, which has plants in Tongala, Victoria and Smithton, Tasmania, said it had bought the plant, in the LaTrobe Valley for an undisclosed sum.
Walkerville beef producer Rob Liley said the purchase would have a positive impact on Gippsland.
“Peter Greenham has been in the game for a long, long time,” Mr Liley said.
“The more competition we have got, the better. They market grass fed beef and that’s absolutely fantastic – it’s what the market wants.”
Ross Batten runs about 500 Angus cows on a 460hectare farm at Buffalo, South Gippsland, producing feedlot steers and heifers for JBS.
“I am really not sure what they are going to be processing, but any more competition down there has to be a good thing,” Mr Batten said.
“Every time an abbatoir opens in Gippsland, from a producers point of view, it’s a good thing.”
He said once producers knew Greenham’s specifications, they could produce cattle to suit.
Jim Abrecht, who has properties throughout the Latrobe Valley, said the move was “the best thing that’s ever happened to Gippsland
“Greenham are just a powerhouse and perfect for boner cows and bulls,” he said.
Mr Abrecht said he bought, and grew out, bulls on several properties in the area.
”It’s the jobs for Moe and the farmers will be getting paid – it’s been very hard getting money out of the export abattoirs.”
Greenham managing director Peter Greenham Jnr said Moe complemented the company’s existing operations
“It’s in an excellent region for producing quality cattle and the plant is set up to process them,” Mr Greenham said.
It’s in an excellent region for producing quality cattle and the plant is set up to process them.
- Peter Greenham Junior
Closed since 2015, the meatworks will require approximately one hundred staff members with Greenham aiming to utilize the knowledge of former employees and local workers where possible.
“We understand the importance of employment opportunities in building and maintaining rural communities so we’re keen to see people get back to work in Gippsland,” he said.
Mr Greenham emphasized the necessity for supporting beef and dairy producers in Gippsland with a reliable local operator to process their stock.
Greenham planned to offer its standard 36 hour payment terms to all ‘over-the-hooks’ purchases to assist with cash flow to farm businesses.
There were also plans to open several ‘Live Weight Buying Centres’ – local weekly scales where producers receive payment on the spot for their cattle.
Agents also welcomed the decision.
Elders Pakenham’s Peter Rollason said any sort of increased competition and extra capacity was good for the industry and community.
‘You can really only say it is going to be a good thing,” Mr Rollason said.
“It’s going to be in an area where they can source all types of cattle.”
Phelan and Henderson’s Tim Phelan said the re-opening of the works would be a good thing, for everyone.
“Greenham have been in the industry for a long time, and every bit of killing capacity and competition we can have in the marketplace is good,” Mr Phelan said.
“It’s very good to have Greenham move in there and take that show over.”
Mr Greenham said it was planned to start production in mid-November.
