Casino saleyards back in action after seven-month standoff

The largest and busiest cattle saleyard in Northern Rivers will host its first sale this week after a seven-month standoff.

New managing director of NRLX, Armidale's Tom Newsome from Outcross Agri-Services, is pleased to have sales starting again in Casino.

After a seven-month hiatus the gates of the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange (NRLX) in Casino are set to reopen.

With the George and Fuhrmann store sale kicking off from 10am on Friday, February 2, many primary producers are pleased to see the multimillion-dollar saleyards put back to good use.

“After some genuine negotiations with Outcross Agri-Services, an agreement has been negotiated for all five of our member agencies to return to the catwalks of Casino,” a George and Fuhrmann spokesman said.

Armidale outfit Outcross Agribusiness services will hold the lease for an initial five years after months of argy-bargy between Richmond Valley Council and Casino Auctioneers Association Inc (CAAI) lead council to choose Outcross for the tender in December 2023.

Armidale's Tom Newsome is the new Outcross Agri-services managing director of the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange (NRLX). Picture: Supplied

Incoming NRLX managing director, Tom Newsome said fees at the saleyards had been negotiated in discussion with agents and buyers.

He said fees have risen by 5 per cent and for the next 17 months will remain the same and won’t change.

“Fees are on a sliding scale, we’ve kept the same structure per head,” he said.

“Fees to buyers have increased to keep vendor fees competitive.”

As one of the busiest saleyards in NSW, at its peak Casino was selling 130,000 cattle compared to 115,000 at Mortlake or Yass with 50,000 cattle. NRLX typically sells between 90-100,000 cattle per year.

NRLX buyers at the NRLX weaner sales this week.

The new management has brought up to 20 staff with them but local agents will handle all pre-sale movement of stock.

Outcross will handle cattle post-sale from selling, weighing, and delivery with the assistance of key local agent staff.

Two sales per week on Wednesday’s and Friday’s are scheduled through to July with the first being Friday, February 2.

Mr Newsome praised the NRLX as a premier livestock selling centre.

“We’re glad to be involved in getting the NRLX reopened,” Mr Newsome said.

Casino as an “important location” draws significant numbers of cattle and buyers that compete on a throughput of 130,000 head per year.

“Outcross is pleased to be operating NRLX. It’s a fantastic facility – one of the best in the nation,” he said.

“One we can operate efficiently to the benefit of buyers and vendors.”

The NRLX Casino Saleyards.

CAAI president Andrew Summerville said negotiations with the Armidale outfit were professional and combined with the company’s understanding of the livestock industry made for a fast agreement between all involved parties.

He said timing was good for farmers who are selling calves during the first half of the year.

“This will allow feature sales to progress as normal,” Mr Summerville said.

The first sale is Friday, February 2 with gates opening at 10am.