Neutrog has pleaded guilty to three breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1993.

IN RECENT grains and agricultural industry news…

• Neutrog pleads guilty to EPA breaches;
• MEDLOG acquires Seaway’s intermodal business;
• Bullsbrook mill application; and,
• Assistant Minister flags Right to Repair ag consultation.

Neutrog pleads guilty to EPA breaches

South Australian fertiliser producer Neutrog Trading has pleaded guilty in the Environment, Resources and Development Court to three offences against the Environment Protection Act 1993 (EP Act).

The Environment Protection Authority undertook a detailed investigation and subsequently commenced a prosecution against Neutrog in July 2025.

The EPA alleged that, between 28 July 2022 and 5 September 2023, Neutrog breached the EP Act by:

• intentionally or recklessly polluting the environment and causing an odour nuisance in the townships of Kanmantoo and St Ives (s82(1) of the EP Act); and,
• failing to comply with a condition of an environmental authorisation (s45(5) of the EP Act.

It will be alleged that the company repeatedly exceeded its stockpile heights with stockpiles of spent litter and compost exceeding 3m, and repeatedly receiving unauthorised waste, accepting almost 40 tonnes of waste coffee grounds.

Neutrog has now accepted liability for the alleged offending and entered guilty pleas to the charges.

The matter has been adjourned for submissions on penalty to be heard on June 17.

EPA director of compliance, circular economy and investigations Steven Sergi said the case serves as a reminder for businesses to adhere to licence conditions and regulations.

“The EPA emphasises the importance of compliance with environmental laws to protect the community and the environment,” Mr Sergi said.

Neutrog is a biological fertiliser producer which holds an EPA licence to undertake composting activities by receiving spent poultry litter for the production of a range of products.

MEDLOG acquires Seaway’s intermodal business

MEDLOG Oceania has signed an agreement to acquire Seaway’s Intermodal business, a leading asset-owned logistics operator.

The acquisition is expected to be completed in the current quarter.

Seaway’s intermodal business integrates road, rail, and warehousing services, connecting regional exporters and importers across key markets.

Seaway’s intermodal facility at Emerald in Central Qld features a containerised grain-packing facility. Photo: Seaway

This acquisition is expected to strengthen MEDLOG Oceania’s footprint in Sunraysia in north-west Victoria and south-west New South Wales, and the Toowoomba and Emerald container catchment areas in Qld.

“We are delighted with the opportunity to support existing Seaway customers and enhance the MEDLOG business,” MEDLOG SA chairman Giuseppe Prudente said.

“This acquisition reinforces our ability to deliver value-added solutions and drive sustainable growth across Oceania.”

Seaway Group CEO Craig McElvaney said MEDLOG Oceania was “well positioned” to take the intermodal business to the next level.

“The Seaway Board believes its intermodal business has reached a point where its next phase of growth will be best supported by an organisation with the scale, resources, and infrastructure to invest in, and expand the business further,” Mr McElvaney said.

The integration will occur over several months, with a focus on continuity of service and operational excellence.

Seaway’s sea-freight forwarding, air freight, and shipping agencies divisions do not form part of this acquisition.

Bullsbrook mill application

Developers of a feedmill under construction at Bullsbrook in Western Australia have applied to modify the project to include additional silos and structures.

The $60-million Gateway Milling project is being developed by joint venture partners Thompson and Redwood, a stockfeed manufacturer, and the Overland Group.

The Overland Group was created following the merger of Westpork and Dardanup Butchering Company last year.

The facility had an annual production target of more than 200,000t.

The Gateway Milling project under construction last month. Photo Gateway Milling

The amended application proposes a new plant tower and additional grain silos next to the stage one packaging shed, as well as a gantry linking the stage one packaging shed and the stage two feedmill shed.

A document published with the public consultation information describes the amendment as a “minor expansion” which would “allow for the processing of feed as well as packaging”.

“This would require additional boilers, grain silos, a conveyor belt, and bins for mixing grains,” the document said.

“The processing of the feed would primarily involve the mixing, cleaning and crushing of the components on the site, but will not require the addition of any new or different products, and the overall product created on the site will remain the same.

“Therefore, the proposed amendment would not result in any substantive change to the approved stock feed grain mill land use.”

The amended plans said this expansion would result in an additional 5000-10,000t of production per annum.

Public consultation on the application is now open and will close February 26.

Leigh flags R2R ag consultation

Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh said the Federal Government was pushing forward with plans to expand Right to Repair to agricultural machinery.

He flagged that consultation on proposed regulation changes would begin shortly.

This came as a new report confirmed that the existing right to repair scheme delivered expanded consumer choice, improved access to repair information and supported safe and timely vehicle repairs.

The review, titled Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme, found that the scheme has been associated with a $2.4-billion increase in automotive industry turnover annually, and that independent workshops are experiencing greater capability, productivity and profitability.

It also finds that consumers now have more choice and face fewer barriers when servicing modern vehicles.

Dr Leigh said the results were promising given the potential expansion of the scheme to incorporate agricultural machinery.

“This scheme is giving Australians real choice over repairs, while helping small businesses compete, innovate and keep their communities moving,” Dr Leigh said.

“We’ll shortly begin consultation on extending right to repair reforms to agricultural machinery, improving farmers’ access to repair services and avoiding costly downtime during critical periods.”

He said the Productivity Commission estimated that extending right to repair to agriculture could lift annual GDP by $97 million through increased grain outputs alone by avoiding downtime.

“We understand that many farmers have time critical processes and that they need to get those broken machines back into the field as quick as possible,” Dr Leigh said during a press conference in the Canberra suburb of Fyshwick.

“[W]e’re going to be working with farmers, with machinery operators in order to extend that right to repair to agricultural machinery.”

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