Advertisement

DeCampo queries food centre progress

DeCampo queries food centre progress

Manjimup shire president Wade DeCampo has reiterated the need for the Organic Food Industry Research Centre to be established in Manjimup.

"I want to know where the centre is at - where's the decision, where's the money and where's the centre?" Cr DeCampo said yesterday.

In late 2013, Cr DeCampo and Warren-Blackwood MLA Terry Redman gave their support for the proposed $5 million centre to be located in Manjimup instead of Bunbury, as was proposed.

The centre could play an important role to the region's long-term prosperity, according to Cr DeCampo.

"There's no doubt the centre should be here," he said.

"The institute already here is basically the horticulture centre for the State.

"Organics should be a natural progression of what we already have in the region.

"The Organic Food Industry Research Centre should be located here and part of what we already have."

Cr DeCampo was unsure why plans for the centre had stalled or why Bunbury had been considered.

"Compared to Bunbury and its surrounding areas and Manjimup and its surrounding areas, our agriculture and horticulture industry makes it a clear choice," he said.

Cr DeCampo said this week's announcement that the State's potato deregulation would occur in about two years made the addition of the proposed centre to the region's services more important.

"We will need money put in to the region to cope with the difference caused by potato deregulation and the centre will help," he said.

"If we don't get and don't fight for things our region stands for, we're not in the race. The South West Regional Blueprint says we are the agricultural centre - that should carry some weight."