About
The Farming Co is a family-owned and operated vertically integrated enterprise, specializing primarily in primary food production. Our expertise spans from the southern tip of Africa to regional Australia, endowing us with an extensive business and agricultural knowledge bank.
We hail from a lineage of pioneers who, in the 1800s, sought opportunities in Southern Africa. Family and business are deeply woven into the fabric of our heritage.
Commercial life for this family commenced in Southern Africa with a diversified portfolio of dairy, sheep, poultry and crop farming, however, extended to contract harvesting and transporting of food across borders into Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Congo.
Melanie was born with South African with Australian citizenship and it seemed a natural fit for a young growing family to pursue opportunities that arose in Australia and the decision was made to move the business expertise to Australia in 1994.
An agricultural contracting business was established, and within 12 years, it had grown its operations along the entire length of the eastern seaboard, spanning from Central Queensland to Southern Victoria. The enterprise emerged as a comprehensive agricultural service provider, offering a wide range of services encompassing row-crop and dry land farming. This included irrigation farm development utilizing laser buckets, as well as tasks such as planting, cultivating, cotton-picking, and harvesting.
In 2005, an enticing opportunity arose in the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia, where we gradually acquired a substantial landholding which led to the Prinsloo family's relocation to Western Australia. Initially spanning 4,000 hectares, the property held the promise of expansion to 18,000 hectares within seven years.
In a region renowned for its marginal rainfall, we integrated a rotation program into our extensive cropping operations, incorporating 10,000 breeding merino ewes. Eventually, the accumulated land became a sought-after asset, leading to its sale.
Since 2012, we've pursued vertical integration by incorporating transport and civil & earthworks into our family business and in 2021, we further grew our operations by adding a large agricultural holding in the South-West District of Western Australia, spanning 13,200 hectares. This acquisition enhances our agricultural portfolio and solidifies our commitment to sustainable land management.
Now that our children have reached adulthood, the Family Vision is to broaden our business footprint. Through collaborative discussions, we have set our sights on intercontinental expansion. Portfolio diversification stands as a strategic imperative, empowering businesses to thrive amid the ever-changing landscape of a market marked by escalating demand and finite resources. Intercontinental expansion transcends mere growth beyond local markets; it symbolizes the establishment of a vast capacity not only for food production but also for vertical integration, capitalizing on our accumulated expertise.
At our core, we are a dynamic family business committed to broadening our capabilities and diversifying our operations, seeking profitable and sustainable ventures to propel us into the future.
We hail from a lineage of pioneers who, in the 1800s, sought opportunities in Southern Africa. Family and business are deeply woven into the fabric of our heritage.
Commercial life for this family commenced in Southern Africa with a diversified portfolio of dairy, sheep, poultry and crop farming, however, extended to contract harvesting and transporting of food across borders into Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Congo.
Melanie was born with South African with Australian citizenship and it seemed a natural fit for a young growing family to pursue opportunities that arose in Australia and the decision was made to move the business expertise to Australia in 1994.
An agricultural contracting business was established, and within 12 years, it had grown its operations along the entire length of the eastern seaboard, spanning from Central Queensland to Southern Victoria. The enterprise emerged as a comprehensive agricultural service provider, offering a wide range of services encompassing row-crop and dry land farming. This included irrigation farm development utilizing laser buckets, as well as tasks such as planting, cultivating, cotton-picking, and harvesting.
In 2005, an enticing opportunity arose in the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia, where we gradually acquired a substantial landholding which led to the Prinsloo family's relocation to Western Australia. Initially spanning 4,000 hectares, the property held the promise of expansion to 18,000 hectares within seven years.
In a region renowned for its marginal rainfall, we integrated a rotation program into our extensive cropping operations, incorporating 10,000 breeding merino ewes. Eventually, the accumulated land became a sought-after asset, leading to its sale.
Since 2012, we've pursued vertical integration by incorporating transport and civil & earthworks into our family business and in 2021, we further grew our operations by adding a large agricultural holding in the South-West District of Western Australia, spanning 13,200 hectares. This acquisition enhances our agricultural portfolio and solidifies our commitment to sustainable land management.
Now that our children have reached adulthood, the Family Vision is to broaden our business footprint. Through collaborative discussions, we have set our sights on intercontinental expansion. Portfolio diversification stands as a strategic imperative, empowering businesses to thrive amid the ever-changing landscape of a market marked by escalating demand and finite resources. Intercontinental expansion transcends mere growth beyond local markets; it symbolizes the establishment of a vast capacity not only for food production but also for vertical integration, capitalizing on our accumulated expertise.
At our core, we are a dynamic family business committed to broadening our capabilities and diversifying our operations, seeking profitable and sustainable ventures to propel us into the future.
