Peter Hendy (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Thursday, 21 May, I visited the Bega cheese factory in North Bega to mark the Australian government's $5 million investment in the nationally famous Bega Cheese company. There I joined Bega Cheese Director Max Roberts and site manager Sean Moran along with Bega Valley Shire Council General Manager Leanne Barnes and infrastructure group manager Lucas Scarpin. The manufacturer will be investing in a $21 million project to advance their production capability with the support of the $5 million grant from the Australian government's Manufacturing Transition Program.

Bega Cheese will purchase plant and equipment to increase their production of a product called lactoferrin. It will enhance export opportunities in Asia, particularly China and Japan. Lactoferrin is a milk by-product that enhances the nutritional value of infant formula and other medically prescribed food. It is also used in pharmaceuticals. As Bega Cheese Executive Chairman Barry Irvin explains, 'This is all about what people often talk about as "food as medicine".'

The Manufacturing Transition Program is part of ensuring a secure future for manufacturing in Australia by focusing on areas of competitive strength. Bega Cheese will be able to invest in more sophisticated and knowledge-intensive manufacturing, creating high-value jobs in areas where the greatest economic opportunities exist.