At the Eyre Regional Development Board conference in Port Lincoln last week, FREE Eyre managing director Susi Tegen said the company they were negotiating a partnership with had international skills, experience and contacts in the grain market.

Ms Tegen said the company had a similar culture to FREE Eyre, being focused on the best outcomes for growers.

“We’re developing an alliance which is mutually beneficial to the company and Eyre Peninsula farmers.”

“It’s particularly important in the uncertain environment we’re in presently and which is headed towards deregulation.”

Ms Tegen said grain marketing would be “quite confusing in the future” for farmers, and even grain companies, because of the complexity of deregulation.

She said FREE Eyre was exploring other opportunities, which include value adding to FREE Eyre grain and on-farm trials for storage. The group aims to give its members options and choices which allow for farmers to take more control in the supply and value chain.”