FOURTH-generation family cattle breeding operation Angus Pastoral Company has been approved for a $25 million loan to build their abattoir.
Signature Onfarm Pty Ltd is the first Central Queensland project to receive a Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility loan.
The company, headed by Blair and Josie Angus, runs 35,000 cattle across four Central Queensland properties with the new export-accredited facility to be capable of servicing up to 200 head of cattle a day.
The $27.9 million project promises to provide up to 200 full-time jobs during construction, which is expected to commence in November, and 70 full time jobs once operational.
The loan will help pay for construction of the processing facility, 440-head capacity chillers, value-adding capability for portioned and ready meals, waste water infrastructure, access roads and accommodation for up to 70 workers.
The state-of-the-art facility will be able to process 50,000 head of cattle each year, giving Bowen Basin graziers new opportunities for beef sales, slaughter and marketing into domestic and international markets.
It comes after the state government pledged their support for the project earlier this month under the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund. However, the Queensland government would not reveal the nature of their support, siting commercial in confidence.
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan said the federal government's investment would support the creation of more jobs and economic activity in Central Queensland.
Capricornia MP Michelle Landry said a new beef processing facility in Central Queensland would save the region's graziers time and money.
Signature Onfarm owner Blair Angus said the facility would support the region's beef producers and generate economic spin-offs throughout the region.
"This project is about delivering returns to farm gate, jobs to the bush and delivering bespoke products to consumers," Mr Angus said.
Burdekin MP Dale Last congratulated the Angus family on their visionary project.
"I'd like to offer my thanks to the Angus family for their vision and their willingness to support jobs and the economy, not just in the Clermont area but throughout regional Queensland," Mr Last said.
"I welcome the support that the Federal LNP government has given for this project and I am sure the people of regional Queensland welcome the jobs and the opportunities this project will provide.
"The agricultural sector has faced a lot of challenges recently with drought and legislative changes at the state level so this really is a vote of confidence in our primary producers.
"Queensland is home to some of the world's most innovative primary producers and projects like this will help us capitalise on our abilities in the ag sector and that is a definite positive for the region and for the State as a whole."
Construction is expected to start before the end of the year and take around 13 months to complete. Full capacity should be reached within 18 months of completion.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
