WELL known farming couple Michael Brennan and Sue Middleton have sold their 4500 hectare broadacre farm and piggery business, Agripork, at Wongan Hills and Moora. The farm has been purchased by local farmers and Agripork will be leased by a WA pork company and will remain in operation. Mr Brennan's family has been farming in the Wongan Hills area since 1926 and at Moora since the 1950s. Ms Middleton said the decision to sell was not made lightly and was due to a range of factors and opportunities. She said the volatility of the pork industry, having experienced a collapse a couple of years ago and currently record high prices, was not a factor in their decision to sell. Rather, the family plans to refocus its attention on its other agricultural businesses, which include Moora Citrus, Northern Valley Packers and consulting business, agdots. The choice to sell privately was due to the aim in achieving business continuity and for all staff to retain their jobs and local communities to continue to benefit from the businesses being based there. "We wanted a business as usual approach through all the sales," Ms Middleton said. "We thought we could do that through private negotiations." With settlement due for the end of the month, Ms Middleton declined to comment on the sale price and buyer. A clearing sale will be held on Thursday, March 11, on the Wongan Hills property and "everyone is welcome". Moora Citrus is WA's largest citrus producer, growing oranges and mandarins. The Northern Valley Packers facility, Bindoon, spans 6500 square metres and was built in 2017. It services both domestic and export markets. Agdots is run by Ms Middleton and step daughter Elizabeth Brennan, who are both prominent women in the WA agriculture industry. Ms Middleton is chairwoman of the National Farmers Federation's Economics and Farm Business Policy Committee, a board member of the National Water Grid and a board member of the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal. She was also a former WA Rural Woman of the Year. Ms Brennan is on the board of Wide Open Agriculture, the Rural, Regional and Remote Women's Network of WA and is one of four commissioners of the Agricultural Produce Commission. The family plans to continue its involvement in the agricultural industry.
