Agribusiness buzz in brief

The new Centre for Rural Criminology brings together a network of world-leading criminologists in partnership with law enforcement and the wider community.

Rural crime costs the community and governments millions of dollars in losses each year in Australia and has devastating social and economic impacts.

Yet, the data and evidence to prove the size and scale of this problem have been missing until now.

"In the first six months of this year just in NSW, sheep and cattle theft alone has cost primary producers more than $1.1 million, which is incredibly concerning," said UNE criminologist and co-director of the centre, Dr Kyle Mulrooney.

"Past studies showed around half of rural crime goes unreported for a variety of reasons.

"Theft of livestock, produce and equipment, illegal hunting, trespassing and other farm crimes affect not only individuals, but the wider agricultural industry."

Former chief commercial officer with poultry and stockfeed business, Inghams, Quinton Hildebrand, started work this week as the new managing director with stockfeed manufacturer, Ridley Corporation.

Mr Hildebrand, also a former chief executive of Mackay Sugar for seven years, replaces Tim Hart, who departed Ridley after six years at the helm.

Directo,r David Lord, was temporarily filling in as chief executive officer after Mr Hart finished in late June.

Ridley chairman, Gary Weiss, said the company was delighted to have attracted somebody as well credentialled as Mr Hildebrand to focus on Ridley's domestic growth plans, leverage its state of the art facilities and accelerate commercialisation of its Novacq aquaculture feed product internationally.

"Quinton's (three and a half years') experience in the poultry industry will be of significant value to Ridley," he said.

Mr Hildebrand, who will receive a total fixed remuneration package of $700,000 a year, studied agricultural economics in South Africa, and worked for Illovo sugar and the South African Sugar Association before moving to Australia.

Western Australia's financially-stretched live export shipper, Wellard, has reached an agreement with Ruchira Ships to extend its repayment schedules on its MV Ocean Ute and MV Ocean Drover until 2021.

Ruchira effectively provides vessel finance on the two ships through a sale and leaseback contract.

A standstill arrangement which includes a waiver of existing defaults has also been agreed to by Ruchira.

"Wellard is please to have had Ruchir's ongoing co-operation," said Wellard executive chairman, John Klepec.

"They represent further evidence of progress in our financial restructure and provide aclear path forward for the company."

West Australian-based smallgoods processor, D'Orsogna,, has commenced production in Victoria at a $66 million state-of-the-art 11,000 square metre food manufacturing facility just north of Melbourne.

Officially opened last week at Merrifield the plant will soon employ 200 people and firmly establish D'Orsogna as a national market leader in the smallgoods and meat protein food sector.

The new plant includes 8500 square metres of rooftop solar power generation.

The 70-year-old company employs about 550 people near Fremantle, WA, supplying Woolworths, Coles, Metcash and food service businesses.

Managing director, Greig Smith, the D'Orsogna name, brand and products were now firmly positioned on the east coast after the company established a modest footprint in Victoria 10 years ago at Mt Waverley.

The family first had a presence in Melbourne in 1947 when D'Orsogna brothers Giovanni and Tommaso worked in the food and hospitality industry before opening a small family butcher shop in West Perth in 1949.

D'Orsogna makes cured and cooked whole and sliced hams, gourmet continental goods, bacon and cooked sausages.

The 2020 Jan Cathcart Scholarship for women involved in the Australian rice industry will offer financial assistance valued at $10,000 annually for up to three years of tertiary study.

The scholarship honours the memory of long-term SunRice employee Jan Cathcart and her 43 years with the industry, providing opportunities from financial support, to work experience and employment placements with SunRice, plus professional and personal growth.

SunRice chairman, Laurie Arthur, opened this year's applications saying the company wanted to support the professional development of women in agriculture.

Women connected to the rice industry, shareholders and employees of SunRice and their extended families can apply by October 12.