A 45-DEGREE day didn’t melt Adam Marshall’s eagerness to show John Barilaro the potential of Stahmann’s Pecan Nut Farm, ‘Trawalla’, in Moree on Thursday.
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The Member for Northern Tablelands took the Minister for Regional Development to the farm as part of the latter’s visit to make funding announcements and tour the area.
Mr Marshall said he wanted to show the minister, who is also NSW Deputy Premier, what further state government funding could help achieve there - which would result in up to 80 more direct jobs for Moree.
“I wanted to show him, first of all, the pecan farm because it’s incredibly impressive,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s the largest producer of pecans in the Southern Hemisphere, and represents nearly 90 per cent of Australian pecan production - at the pecan farm right here in Moree.”
Mr Marshall said he’d also talked to Mr Barilaro about what more investment in drip irrigation - from the government and the business - could mean.
“Probably about 55 per cent of their farm, the trees are flood-irrigated,” Mr Marshall said.
“Drip irrigation gives a better-quality product and they’ve been gradually trying over the years to convert more of the property from flood to drip irrigation, to enable them to dramatically expand their operation, because they can have more trees with the same amount of water.”
Mr Marshall said the company trucked its pecans to its factory in Toowoomba for processing and packaging.
“If we’re able to dramatically expand the farm here, it becomes more commercially viable to move that factory in Toowoomba to Moree - and the almost 80 jobs that go with it,” he said.
Mr Marshall said the business already employed 28 full-timers a year, as well as about 50-60 casuals at harvest time in late April.
He said it would cost “in the millions” to convert the whole farm’s irrigation.
“It’s not about the government funding all of that, but the contribution we could make would fast-track those plans.”
Mr Marshall said it had been “a warm day even for seasoned locals”.
“He’s the Member for Monaro, so it’s safe to say I don’t think they get too many days over 35 degrees, let alone 45,” he said.
“He showed great resilience, and survived the day.”
