Barraba may soon be the home of a new feedlot for the region, just in time for what one farmer predicts is an "exciting time" for the beef-cattle industry.
Tamworth Regional Council is currently assessing a development application for a 1000 head feedlot planned for 'Mulwarree', an Ironbark Hereford farm run by Adrian Spencer and his family.
Mr Spencer said after the drought, now was the prefect time to plan for the future.
"It's to do with enabling us to better equip ourselves in the dry years," he told the Leader.
"As far as the business beef cattle business, having a feedlot enables you to run more in a straight line instead of hitting the dry times and falling off a cliff so to speak.
He hoped it would be a good thing for Barraba and the region, especially when the closest feedlots were either in Tamworth or Delungra at the moment.
"This has the opportunity to bring business and opportunities into this part of the world," he noted.
The feedlot is situated in the heart of the 10 thousand acre property, far away from neighbours and roads, he explained.
At this stage, they are planning to start with 1000 head, but would be looking at expanding operations further after the initial start.
"We will get this side of it right and then expend it from there," he said.
When, or if, the application gets through, he says he hopes to get it going within one month of approval, sometime early in the new year.
He said the timing was right, after the tough few years in the drought, this year has been a good, big season with good cattle prices.
I think there are very exciting times ahead for the beef industry ... the Covid virus has brought agriculture and regional living back into the spotlight.
- Adrian Spencer
"There's opportunities for cattle producers, and we've been running cattle for a long time up in this part of the world. We have another generation coming through, so we have to be prepared for that.
"I think there are very exciting times ahead for the beef industry. Exciting times for agriculture as a whole, because I think the Covid virus has brought agriculture and regional living back into the spotlight."
