About Us | Western Victoria

Company Profile

Western AG is a successful independent supplier of agronomic advice and farm production inputs operating from 16 locations across the Western District, North East, Wimmera and SE South Australia (SESA) regions.

The Western AG Head Office is located at Derrinallum, 90kms South West of Ballarat. Our branches include Bannockburn, Ballarat, Willaura, Hamilton, Kyneton, Benalla, Goroke, Nhill, Horsham, Kaniva in the Wimmera and Bordertown, Naracoorte, Millicent in SESA, Huntly and Seymour.

Western AG began operations in April 2005 with a primary aim of supplying high quality agronomic advice with seed, fertiliser and crop protection products to clientele within the Western District region of Victoria. The company has now grown to provide services to over 2000 farming clients that manage more than 500,000 ha of various crops and pastures. All the branches have an additional focus on the supply of animal health and general merchandise products across the entire Western AG network.

The company employs 30 plus Agronomists, 14 Animal Health & General (AH&G) Merchandise Specialists, and a similar size team of personnel in logistics, administration and finance who all share a common focus on meeting the farm production needs of our clients.

Western AG is a member of the AgLink Australia group of independent rural businesses, which provides $1.75 billion of inputs to Australian farmers annually, and is the largest group employer of agronomists in Australia.

Core Objectives

Western AG’s core objective is to provide high quality production advice and to supply competitively priced inputs to assist advancing the farming businesses of clients.

Our aims are,

To develop and maintain a reputation as an industry-leader in the supply of agronomic advice
To be able to assist our farming clients to increase the profitability of their farming operations
To be recognised for our ability to supply competitively priced, quality inputs in a timely manner
To be able to supply a wide range of inputs and offer efficient logistics services

What makes the Western AG Business Industry Leading

We are passionate about crop and pasture production and combined have over 250 years Agronomic experience.
The company is active in farming systems development, has a strong technology focus and is continually striving to further improve farm productivity in the area.
Western AG has established relationships with key contractors in the area including The Spreading Edge, a ground spreading business located at Willaura and Western Aerial, an aerial spraying business located on the same site at Derrinallum.
Western AG does not have large corporate type overhead operating costs and is therefore able to provide a more client tailored and comprehensive Agronomic service.
Western AG is a member of the AgLink group of independent agricultural businesses, which has the largest agronomy network in Australia.

Agronomy

Experience Pays

Growing crops and pastures as a business can be profitable however there are a numerous threats such as weed and insect pests, disease and poor seasonal conditions that can have a large effect on production.

Western AG takes a whole farm perspective when giving agronomic advice and factors such as soil type and fertility, weed history and crop rotation are taken into consideration
Western AG has a team of more than 30 agronomists in the business which includes individuals such as Ashley Perkins, Gerard O’Brien and Philip Hawker who all have over 30 years experience in the field.
We are the largest private group of agronomists in Western Victoria, Wimmera and SESA.

Would you trust your annual investment in crops and pastures to a less experienced team!

Services Costs

Western AG is able to provide agronomic services either included at no charge with the supply of seed, fertiliser and crop protection inputs or on a fee for service arrangement.

The majority of our clients have chosen to use agronomic services included with the supply of inputs mainly due to only having to deal with one organisation and the service efficiencies that offers.
Dealing with one business means that we are able to supply products that have been recommended
In the majority of situations fee for service is charged on a per hectare basis and is dependent on the level of planning and monitoring required by the client

Service Offering

Our performance as agronomists is measured on the productivity and profitability of our clients and our commitment is to get it right in the paddock.

The first step in providing agronomic services is usually the production of a farm production plan that documents production strategies for each paddock.
This detailed document includes crop type and variety selection, rates of fertiliser and a crop protection plan. It also provides a costing of production and a gross margin analysis.
As the season progresses this plan is reviewed and strategies refined through regular paddock inspection visits.

Accelerated Graduate Program

Western AG employs and provides training to graduate agronomists.

We are able to offer mentoring from a range of experienced team members
The company has in place structured training programs and the ability to develop professional networks with other similar businesses within the AgLink network.

Western AG also have an Undergraduate Agronomy Program.

Logistics

Western AG has invested in regional storage and distribution infrastructure for farm production inputs. The business has bulk storage facilities for seed and crop protection products at all of its locations and both solid and liquid fertiliser at Derrinallum, Willaura, Horsham and Bordertown.

Our goal with input supply is to provide competitively priced products but not to compromise on quality and performance guarantees by using reputable suppliers.
Due to our volume turnover we are able to provide the best deals often with extended payment term arrangements. We are geared up for the supply of envirodrum, IBC tanks and other products in large pack size.
The majority of inputs that we supply are delivered on farm free of charge. For larger items we have available five 12 tonne curtainside trucks in our fleet.
Western AG has direct trading relationships with all of the major crop protection, fertiliser, seed, animal health and farm merchandise suppliers in Australia. The combination of this and our affiliation with AgLink allows us to provide the full range of products at extremely competitive prices.

AgInvest Management Pty Ltd

AgInvest Management Pty Ltd is an additional company that is available for the provision of agronomy or consultancy services on a ‘fee for service’.