WAGGA WAGGA, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA — Southern Ag Grain (SAG) accumulated its one millionth tonne of grain on March 1, just two years and four months since the company commenced operations in November 2009, the company said on March 5. SAG is a joint venture between Emerald Group and grower group Southern Agventure Limited.

The million-tonne milestone was passed with a contract for feed barley supplied by a grower at the ABA Coolamon receival complex.

SAG Chairman Mike Chaseling said reaching such a mark represented a significant milestone for the company and its owners, particularly the growers who own 50% of SAG through Southern Agventure Ltd.

“When SAG commenced operations in 2009 it was with full understanding that the industry was changing rapidly and local growers in southern New South Wales wanted to be in a position to leverage and control some of this change, rather than be passive bystanders. SAG’s joint venture structure was a positive way to take a greater degree of control and empowerment for the local farming community,” Chaseling said. “It has been a tough marketing environment in the period since, with unprecedented volatility, challenging harvest conditions and continued consolidation of the grain supply chain in NSW.

“It is exactly these issues that motivated local growers to seek to build the SAG joint venture with Emerald, and it remains these issues that we continue to work with the local farming community to address.

“The recent announcement by SAG joint venture partner Emerald of its acquiring the ABA Melbourne port terminal and upcountry storages, and to commit to significant rail capacity, makes the role of SAG even more pivotal in delivering competitive supply chain and marketing services to the local farming community.”