East Otago free-range pig farm approved

It was proposed to develop the property as a sustainable and environmental ''showpiece'' free range pig farm. Photo / ODT File

Overseas Investment Office consent has been granted for a pig farming and genetics company to buy land in East Otago to convert to a free-range pig farm.

The application to purchase a freehold interest in about 208ha in Pilbrow Rd, near Palmerston, for $3.4 million was made by Bardfield Farms Ltd.

The decision said the consent holder was an established swine farming and genetics company operating in New Zealand and Australia, which had previously made ''beneficial investments'' in New Zealand.

The farming operation would require the creation of new jobs and significant capital expenditure to facilitate the conversion from a sheep and beef farm.

Projections showed the pig farm would ''substantially increase'' revenue streams, compared with the revenue generated by the existing sheep and beef operation.

New Zealand interests would be involved with investment at governance level and as a significant minority shareholder. The bed of the Shag River would also be offered to the Crown for nil consideration.

A successful application seeking land-use consent from the Waitaki District Council for the intensive farming operation by PIC NZ - the largest pig breeding company in New Zealand - said it was responding to increasing consumer demand for free farmed pigs.

Traditionally, outdoor pigs had been farmed in the Canterbury region but with the growth and development of intensive irrigation schemes and dairy farming, that had put huge pressure on the economics of outdoor pig production in that region.

The applicant spent about a year trying to identify a suitable location that ''ticks all the boxes'' and the Palmerston property was identified as having the right climate, aspect and soil type to effectively and efficiently run pigs outdoors.

It was proposed to develop the property as a sustainable and environmental ''showpiece'' free range pig farm.

It was proposed to run about 400 breeding sows and their progeny over the property using portable shelters and farrowing huts to house the animals.

The application said pigs farmed under such conditions produced very little odour.

The property was adjoined on its northern boundary by a free range hen farm, which was consented for about 65,000 birds.