Northern beef office ready for business

The NBF officially opened the doors to its new Northern Beef Development Centre in Broome last week and has hired additional staff to take on the challenge of supporting pastoralists in the start-up process and additional roles.

The centre is located at the corner of Pembroke and Gregory Streets and will house the Department of Agriculture and Food's Northern Beef Futures Broome operations staff, as well as Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) and Water for Food staff.

Agriculture and Food Minister Ken Baston opened the new centre, alongside pastoralists and staff and said the State Government is committed to supporting cattle industry growth in the north.

"The centre will bring together expertise dedicated towards building WA's northern beef industry," he said.

"A team of specialists will work closely with indigenous enterprises and members of the beef supply chain across the Pilbara and Kimberley to support pastoralists.

"This work will help pastoralists to implement on-station production improvements and conduct forage trials to grow mosaic agriculture opportunities in the north."

Development officers Kevin Bell and Lauren Gibson are also on the ground in Broome ready to assist producers.

The Kimberley Cattlemen's Association (KCA), which was incorporated earlier this year, will also be based at the centre.

"The association and the department are working together across the NBF project to enable the northern beef industry to respond to market signals and meet growing demand," Mr Baston said.

Mr Baston said there was also scope for other like-minded businesses to become involved in the centre.

KCA chairman Peter Camp said the centre will be a "one-stop-shop" for industry in the north.

"Our new executive officer Catherine Marriott is now based at the centre," Mr Camp said.

"It's an information hub, with DAFWA, NBF and Water for Food all located in the one place.

"Everyone is working together, so there won't be any doubling up."

Since the NBF project was announced in August, 12 stations in the Kimberley and Pilbara have joined the project to improve productivity and profitability.

Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said NBF was a four-year $15 million project, made possible by the Royalties for Regions program, to transform WA's northern beef industry by improving markets, businesses and productivity.

"Water for Food and Northern Beef Futures are two of 15 programs under the $300 million Seizing the Opportunity in Agriculture initiative aiming to strengthen regional communities where agriculture is a major economic activity," Mr Redman said.