THE first shipments of Coles-branded milk supplied by NSW dairy co-operative Norco hit the shelves last week, following a year of active supply procurement and investment in factory infrastructure.
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Under the five-year contract with Coles, Norco has agreed to supply up to 65 million litres annually from its Labrador factory in South East Queensland, or about 500,000 bottles a week.
Norco’s general manager of operations Ian Foote said the Coles contract meant signing up new farmers and many of them came from southern Queensland, including Greenmount’s Ches and Del Priebbenow, who have farmed for 50 years near Toowoomba.
The couple milk 160 Holsteins under a total mixed rations system where most of their feed is grown on their own 300-plus hectares.
They will send 800,000 litres to Norco this year.
“While we are not looking to expand at our age, input costs are constantly rising and we need to ensure we are with a business that sees our farmgate prices rise with them,” Mr Priebbenow said.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
