Southern NSW dairy investment newcomer, Blue River Group, has announced a farming project showcasing Israeli agricultural technology at Wagga Wagga.
A world class agricultural and food technology hub is also proposed around the farm to test and commercialise ideas from researchers and entrepreneurs.
The commercial dairy farm will also be used as an education centre for the benefit of the regional and agricultural community.
Blue River Group co-chief executive officers Craig Shapiro and Grant Fuzi said the Project Bridge investment was consistent with their company’s ethos of developing projects which generate commercial returns while also achieving measurable social or environmental outcomes.
Blue River entered the dairy industry last year buying Fonterra’s Wagga Wagga milk processing plant which packs products under the, Riverina Fresh brand.
The company is assembling a consortium of overseas and local project partners who will work collaboratively to ensure the successful delivery of Project Bridge within 12 months.
“Project Bridge is an exciting opportunity for Blue River Group to continue its commitment to a more sustainable dairy and agriculture sector by creating a collaborative ecosystem that is outcome focused,” Mr Fuzi said.
“We believe access to the benefits of new technologies and ideas will encourage the next generation of farming families to remain on the land.”
The new initiative offered a platform to create strong bilateral relations between Australia and Israel along with industry, corporates, research bodies and the startup community, to deliver tangible outcomes and benefits for Australian farmers.
“We recognise the importance of the agriculture sector to the Australian Government’s innovation and growth agenda,” said fellow director Mr Shapiro.
“Technology, collaboration and investment will be crucial to the successful delivery of the Government’s objectives.
“Project Bridge demonstrates how an industry-led initiative can help achieve these objectives.”
Blue River Group was established in 2015 as an investment services firm leveraging the expertise of its own team and partnership arrangements to make impact markets more accessible to the global investment community.”