Farming business spreads its wings with $2m facility

A FARMING business is spreading its wings with the opening of a $2 million quail-processing plant that will service a growing Asia-Pacific market.

Minister for Manufacturing Cameron Dick with Brisbane Valley Protein project manager Peter McCarthy - and some of the product. Picture: Contributed

A BRISBANE Valley farming business is spreading its wings with the opening of a $2 million quail-processing plant that will service a growing Asia-Pacific market while serving up local jobs and community benefits.

Speaking at Tuesday's opening, Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick congratulated fourth-generation farming family, siblings Duncan Brown and Selena Gomersell, for their vision in progressing the Brisbane Valley Protein Precinct at Coominya, near Lake Wivenhoe.

"Expanding the existing direct paddock-to-plate beef operations by diversifying into poultry meat and game birds will be a win for local workers and supply chain opportunities," he said.

"Brisbane Valley Protein has set its sights on being a leader in servicing the growing Asian middle-class and Pacific markets, as well as domestic outlets, and this is a step forward in that direction."

The quail abattoir is the first stage of the protein precinct master plan which will be completed in four stages.

The RSPCA-accredited livestock production and processing will make up stages one, two and three, and stage four will deliver training, research and hospitality facilities.

The expected capital expenditure to complete stages one and two is about $18 million.

Originally published as Farming business spreads its wings with $2m facility