Regional & Agribusiness case studies

NSW livestock producers Hamish and Jess Webb used a CommBank Agri Green Loan to cover start up costs to a soil carbon project that could deliver more than 160,000 carbon credits.

Proud Wiradjuri woman Tara Croker has had an incredible journey since launching her business, Yaala Sparkling. Yaala means ‘the present moment' in Wiradjuri language – and Tara's mission is to bring ancient Aboriginal wisdom to the present through its sparkling water products infused with native botanicals.

Beyond neatly packaged and botanically scented products, Jalbi Australia offers more than meets the eye. Founders Mandy Gadsdon and Kym Hawkins share a deep desire to give back to the community in a tangible way through their business.

_{Image source: Supplied. Kym Hawkins and Mandy Gadsdon, Jalbi Australia}

The Albeni Partnership is a large sheep and beef cattle operation with four properties located across nearly 90,000 hectares in central and western Queensland. Their latest venture is a soil carbon project, funded by a CommBank Agri Green Loan.

“There is typically some volatility in agricultural enterprises, CommBank not only understands how agricultural businesses broadly work but has taken the time to understand Duxton Farms more specifically." CommBank has shown a remarkable level of consistency, flexibility, and responsiveness in extending support to the business and its strategic direction.

Measuring sustainable farming is good for more than stakeholder reporting. For one Australian farmer, it’s had a direct impact on everything from pasture growth to the fertility of his cows.

At a recent CommBank panel discussion at the Farm World field days in Victoria, industry experts discussed the opportunity for “beef on dairy” – what it is, and how technology and R&D can help expand commercial value between these key sectors.

"CBA has specialised understanding about what it takes to make an agribusiness successful, and all the processes along the way, from preparation to harvesting, shipping and getting products on shop shelves.” –Nick Femia, SA Mushrooms

"It is our responsibility to pass on a viable, responsible, and sustainable business for future generations and this loan will allow us to utilise interest savings to ensure this is the case." – Lachie Hart, Managing Director

Husband-and-wife team Tim and Emily Edmunds approach their business, Hale River Holdings, by first understanding the land, then reinvesting in it for future generations.

While coronavirus has seen the food service market decline sharply, Jeremy Haw says it’s been a blessing of sorts, giving him a moment to catch his breath after years of strong growth, and allowing him to think about where his next opportunity might come from.

Yorke Peninsula farmers Mark and Merridee Schilling have looked to business diversification as a way to secure their family’s future, by creating a number of successful offshoots to their cropping operation, which they can choose to scale up or down, or sell as it suits them.

Publican and craft brewer Dean Grant called in 32 years’ worth of favours to keep his business running and staff employed in the face of coronavirus, switching from beer to hand sanitiser.

The Piccolo family of Griffith run a café by day and a fine dining restaurant by night, using produce and products from the local region. Or at least they did, before coronavirus.

When eat-in dining was taken off the menu due to coronavirus, Queensland restaurateur Jon van Grinsven had to work fast to re-think his business approach – and he was so successful that his new take-away option will be kept even when his restaurants re-open.

Outdoor Education Group (OEG) runs about 300 programs for 50,000 students at schools across Australia. When coronavirus hit, almost every booking was cancelled or postponed, leaving the business with no work for staff and no income to pay them ahead of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper scheme payments.

Substantial early investment in branding, marketing, and intentionally Australian packaging, catapulted Candy Abalone into a very discerning Chinese market.

Innovation has ensured the success of the Gilmore family’s sheep breeding operation.

The Hayes family have designed machinery tough enough for Western Australia’s conditions.

Modern technology has helped these seed producers create a top-quality product that’s in high demand.

Innovative WA stock farmers Dave and Lyn Slade have made the most of changing weather conditions.

State-of-the-art materials have helped these innovative fruit producers maximise their crops.

Stock farmers use research and development to solve a question that has beef producers puzzled.

Australia’s first robotic dairy has raised the bar for milk producers around the country.

Expansion and diversification pave the way to long-term success at the Ellis family’s livestock farm.

Automation and computerisation keeps the company on the cutting edge of dairy farming.

Advanced irrigation systems allow the Doolin family greater control of their own production.

Thinking outside the box has helped a Victorian wine producer lift production to more than a million cases.