As mentioned in last week’s column there has been some changes within the AACo including the impending closure of their recently completed abattoir south of Darwin, after that asset had accumulated serious losses.

Ms Anna Speers has now been appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Pastoral Division in charge of the premium beef supply chain.

Ms Speers is probably best known for her work as CEO of the online saleyards Auctions Plus. Where she made tremendous advances with that marketing concept. The challenge that this lady now faces is for real as the share price has dipped from $1.96 per share last June to about $1.12 per share currently.

The business is suggested by analyst to now have a value of about $700 million falling from a high of one Billion plus.

Probably more difficult for Ms Speers is if accurate the industry rumour that one of the very major shareholders may seek to change radically the DNA of the company by dramatically changing the composition of the AACo this may include the break-up of the agribusiness, privatise the operation completely or even look to selling off the seven million hectare of land, then processing the 500,000 head of cattle on their books.

Tom Pollard who won a major gong at the Young Auctioneers competition of the recent Royal Easter Show, under the Elders Past Co guidance has been enticed to join the renown local private agency firm of Peter Milling and Co under the mentorship of Peter Milling and his staff and is to be based in Dubbo.

A very likeable young man and as his recent record shows a very talented auctioneer, the column wishes him immense success in his new employment.

In the last two columns including this one today we have spoken about the tough times experienced by slaughter houses in the top end significantly from that corner of the country we have just received a good news story.

A pastoral co with partners completed their abattoir between Derby and Broome in Western Australia in late 2016 and towards the end of 2017 gained export license approvals and at that point went into full production killing 1100 to 1200 head of mostly cull cows and bulls per week on a single shift roster.

The project backers in a long interview last week declared that the plant was now enjoying a very nice margin of profit.

The last of the original abattoirs in this area was located at Broome and closed in 1993. The Burton family run the Kimberley Meat Co plant as a family concern and as such have no executives who sit at the top end of the chain on lucrative salaries with little or no contribution to the day to day workforce.

Many a mid-tier sized company has been brought down by the cost of too many non-contributors at the top.

Will no doubt write more on this great success story in the next column?

Dreadful day here at Dubbo for Thursday Prime Cattle with 6400 cattle in the draw which not all arrived. Best local rainfall here about Troy Saleyards with 15 to 20mls in the gauge.