The Chinese owners of Tasmania's largest and oldest dairy farm are looking to offload yet another farm.
Van Dairy's 'Harcus Dairy' at Woolnorth has been listed for expressions of interest on the Nutrien Harcourts website as a "large dairy/beef opportunity at Circular Head in Tasmania's North West".
The 2228 hectare farm lies within the historic Woolnorth gate, bound by the Harcus River, Harcus River Road and Woolnorth Road.
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It follows the company's decision in May to sell 11 dairy farms to Melbourne-based investment management company Prime Value for about $62.5 million.
The farms were outside the gate of the actual Woolnorth property.
It is understood only one farm, Harcus Dairy, is up for sale, and a Van Dairy spokesperson refused to comment "at this stage" on rumours that they were selling more.
The Harcus Dairy was pinged among nine environment protection notices issued by the Circular Head Council on March 4 this year.
The notice found that:
- a breach in the effluent pond had resulted in effluent draining into adjacent paddocks, through to the entrance of the farm, under the driveway and potentially off the property into Horsepiss Creek
- The effluent pond was full of solids, resulting in a blocked pump
- A slurry tanker was instead used as the primary dispersal system for irrigating the liquid effluent
- There had been a 63 per cent increase in herd size compared to the original management plan, with no additional capacity added to the effluence system
The notice found that:
- a breach in the effluent pond had resulted in effluent draining into adjacent paddocks, through to the entrance of the farm, under the driveway and potentially off the property into Horsepiss Creek
- The effluent pond was full of solids, resulting in a blocked pump
- A slurry tanker was instead used as the primary dispersal system for irrigating the liquid effluent
- There had been a 63 per cent increase in herd size compared to the original management plan, with no additional capacity added to the effluence system
Van Dairy has also revealed that an audit completed on February 28 this year found 83 per cent of the company's 23 farms had failed to comply with the Farm Dairy Premises Effluent Management Code of Practice.
A Tasmanian Dairy Industry Authority spokesperson confirmed back in April that the authority would continue to have regular on-ground presence at the farms to conduct animal welfare checks.
The company has removed its website in the meantime.
TOUGHER BUYING RULES
Van Dairy, formerly Moon Lake Investments, is headed up by Chinese businessman Lu Xianfeng.
Moon Lake purchased Van Diemens' Land Company in 2016, making several commitments - including environmental ones - that it would put in place to improve the dairy.
Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the Greens welcomed a "changing of the guard" for the property, and pointed out that the government had power to put tougher restrictions on the sale process.
"I hold the state and federal Liberal governments responsible for the absence in regulation that has landed one of our most iconic dairy farms in this s*** show," he said.
"Depending on size of the sale, any foreign investors must have binding or "mandatory" conditions placed on the farm's ownership, not meaningless voluntary conditions that helped land us in this mess in the first place.
"These binding, audited and regulated conditions must be attached to critical investments, including upgraded environmental and animal husbandry standards, and local employment."
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Meg Powell
Meg Powell has been a journalist for the Advocate Newspaper in North-West Tasmania since 2019. She has covered a range of areas and issues including crime, health, environmental issues, business, social affairs , the arts and education. Got a story to share? Email megan.powell@theadvocate.com.au or call 0448 302 029
Meg Powell has been a journalist for the Advocate Newspaper in North-West Tasmania since 2019. She has covered a range of areas and issues including crime, health, environmental issues, business, social affairs , the arts and education. Got a story to share? Email megan.powell@theadvocate.com.au or call 0448 302 029
