May 1, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

After being owned and managed by the Macneil family for more than 90 years, Green Park aggregation has been acquired by Lawson Grain through a transaction managed by Paull & Scollard Nutrien Ag Solutions, in conjunction with Elders Rural Services, and a deal reported to be valued in excess of AUD35 million. 

It was just about a year and a half ago, following a public tender process carried out and managed by Danny Thomas, Col Medway, and John McKillop with Land Agribusiness Water and Development (LAWD), Macquarie Asset Management announced its agreement to sell Lawson Grains – one of the top corporate grain and oilseed growers in Australia – to New Forests and AIMCo for $600 million. 

Headquartered in Albury, New South Wales, Lawson Grain encompassed 90,500 hectares of arable agricultural land across New South Wales and Western Australia producing more than 200,000 tons of wheat, barley, canola, and pulses per year, representing one of the largest cropping assets offered in the country at the time. 

“Lawson Grains is a high quality and diversified agricultural business with an experienced management team,” said Mark Rogers, senior managing director, Australia, New Zealand, U.S., New Forests, upon the announced acquisition. “We look forward to working with the management team to continue to build the business and add value.”

And that is exactly what is being accomplished. The Green Park aggregation is a prominent mixed farming asset of the Southern Riverina region comprising:

~ Green Park – 1,392.58 hectares (3,441.13 acres)

~ Romani – 306.30 hectares (756.88 acres)

~ Burnleigh – 316.11 hectares (781.13 acres)

~ Karimba –  309.08 hectares (763.75 acres)

~ And Moolah – 543.91 hectares (1,344.04 acres)

For total acreage spanning 2,867.98 hectares (7,086.93 acres), of which approximately 97 percent is arable.

With a dual strategic location – being both adjacent to Lawson Grain’s Borambil and Mahonga Park assets purchased in 2013, and near major grain export channels – the Green Park aggregation poses a unique opportunity as a highly regarded producer of cereal, legume, and oilseed crops along with lamb and wool operations. 

The aggregation also includes 3,450 tons of grain storage, machinery, hay sheds, two shearing sheds, two sets of sheep yards, two sets of steel cattle yards, and various outbuildings. It has a healthy natural water supply due to multiple catchment dams, bores, and extensive frontage on Billabong Creek. 

Since 1931, under the leadership of the late Angus Macneil, the Macneil family had taken a progressive approach to managing the land – a mantle that will likely be taken up by Lawson Grain with the backing of New Forests and AIMCo. 

“New Forests will bring its sustainability approach to Lawson Grains, managing for sustainable agricultural production and natural climate solutions including soil carbon and native revegetation and focusing on community engagement,” said Mark Rogers, senior managing director, Australia, New Zealand, U.S., New Forests, in September 2021 when announcing the acquisition of Lawson. “This investment is a natural extension to New Forests’ landscape management approach, ensuring integrated production across Australia’s varied landscape, and backed by our valued client AIMCo.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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