A new $9.5 million expansion of a dairy plant which has officially opened at Jervois is boosting South Australia's regional economy and creating local jobs.
Beston Global Food Company's expanded Jervois dairy plant has significantly increased their ability to produce lactoferrin - a glycoprotein derived from milk which is highly sought after in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products because of its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic and anti-allergic properties.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham said Beston Global Food Company received $2 million from the Marshall Liberal Government's $160 million Regional Growth Fund towards the expansion.
"The South Australian dairy industry is world class and the team at Bestons are a great example of a proud local company leading the way," Minister Basham said.
"The expansion of their dairy plant at Jervois is fantastic for South Australia's regional economy and importantly local jobs, with 30 new positions created.
"It's projects like this which are helping South Australia's strong economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic leading to us having the lowest unemployment rate in the state's history.
"Since 2016 Bestons have increased production from 17 million litres of milk per year up to 155 million litres which has supported hundreds of local jobs across the supply chain.
"Our primary producers are always looking for innovative ways to grow the agricultural sector here in South Australia and we see another great example of that at Bestons, which now has the ability to produce lactoferrin at the expanded Jervois plant.
"Lactoferrin is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and is very high value for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. To have a South Australian-based company involved in such an innovative project is great for our state and the Murraylands region."
Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick said the Marshall Liberal Government's Regional Growth Fund is supporting hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in the Murraylands.
"The upgrade at Bestons is another example of the Marshall Liberal Government investing in regional South Australia and in particular the Murraylands," Mr Pederick said.
"The former Labor Government ignored our region for 16 years and our Regional Growth Fund is stimulating unprecedented investment in local projects such as Bestons at Jervois, the new Thomas Foods abattoir, a state-of-the-art potato washing and packing facility at Parilla and a business park growth precinct at Karoonda.
"These projects are creating hundreds of local jobs and helping raise the profile of the Murraylands as a great place to live, work and play."
Beston Global Food Company's Chief Operating Officer Hamish Browning said the upgraded facility at Jervois will be able to produce six times as much lactoferrin.
"By expanding our dairy plant at Jervois we will be able to go from producing 3 mega tonnes of lactoferrin a year to 20 mega tonnes," Mr Browning said.
"Lactoferrin has shown its got highly sought after anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and international studies have shown it could help in the global battle against COVID-19 as well as other pharmaceutical benefits.
"We are proudly South Australian-based company and this upgrade made possible with the help of the State Government's Regional Growth Fund will improve security for the local dairy industry as well as provide significant growth opportunities."
The State Government has committed $160 million over 10 years through the Regional Growth Fund to support regional South Australia as part of the Recharging Our Regions policy.
Applicants to the Regional Growth Fund were eligible to seek grants from $50,000 up to $2 million, with projects given preference if they can demonstrate a greater private-to-government funding ratio and demonstrable strong economic outcomes.
For more information, visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/regionalgrowthfund
