Published since 1986
NOVEMBER, 2020
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Mansfield’s farming booms Local farmers celebrate bumper season - the best on record
SPURRELL FORAGING WITH a background in cheffing, and a passion for horticulture, Spurrell Foraging became the natural transition for Liam Spurrell. Doing the hard yards in high-end kitchens at night, by day he would scour his local environment for native botanicals and wild and weedy edibles, to create that point of difference in a dish. Turn to page 2 for his story.
fetching up to $1770, with more and more enquiries coming in for replacement cattle while finished steers grow harder to source. There is so much confidence currently in the ag industry’s long term prospects that Elders, after being absent for almost 30 years, is looking to open a branch in Mansfield in the coming months. Stock and station agent Ryan Sargeant will head the store, and said the decision had been made some time ago. “We feel the Mansfield and Benalla region is a black hole for Elders,” he said. “There’s a lot of positivity in the industry at the moment.” Based in Mansfield, Mr Sargeant cut his teeth with Elders Yea more than a decade ago before spending time with the Australian Meat Group and a livestock buyer. Prices right now, he said, were the best he had seen. “It’s an outstanding season, and we have had a phenomenal start,” he said ■ Continued page 4
WAIST high feed, oceans of green and fat, sleek cattle - the Mansfield agricultural community is unanimous this season is the best on record. Despite devastating losses over the summer and winter tourism seasons due to bushfire and COVID restrictions, Mansfield is refusing to pack it in. Last week the Mansfield Courier publicised the huge real estate boom the region is experiencing with an unprecedented almost 30 per cent value increase in only the last 12 months. Now reports are rolling in that local farmers are finally seeing some gravy themselves. From the hay industry to sheep, beef producers to seed; the mild winter followed by a wet spring has seen unprecedented growth both on the ground and at the sale yards. Beef producers who traditionally sell their autumn drop calves after Christmas are turning off stock now at weights approaching 300 kilos, capitalising on healthy interest and even healthier prices. Earlier this month both the Euroa and Yea store cattle sales saw weaners
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