11 November 2010

GRANT TO HELP POWER FARM EXPANSION

The Victorian Government will provide $152,000 in funding to upgrade power supply to
Kinross Farm, the largest privately owned egg supplier in Victoria.

Member for Seymour, Ben Hardman, welcomed the announcement by Regional and Rural
Development Minister, Jacinta Allan, of the grant that will help Kinross Farm in Kinglake
West with its planned $3.9 million expansion program.

Mr Hardman said the business required a power upgrade to meet increased demand.

“The current power infrastructure is insufficient to handle the proposed increase in load,” Mr
Hardman said.

“The Victorian Government recognises the need to provide an improved power supply to
Kinross Farm and nearby areas to facilitate growth of existing businesses and to attract new
agribusiness and residential investment into the local region.”

Kinross Farm will contribute half the cost of the $304,000 electricity upgrade which involves
the installation of a voltage regulator on the Kerrisdale supply grid to regulate power supply
through Strath Creek, Flowerdale, Hazeldene and Kinglake West.

The power upgrade will allow the expansion of Kinross Farm operations which includes:
 Construction of a modern, 72,000 free range hen production facility
comprising four laying houses; and
 commissioning of a state-of-the-art liquid egg plant to service a growing
industrial and commercial client base.

Mr Hardman said the electrical upgrade would secure the $3.9 million future investment at
Kinross Farm and assist it to deliver an increasing demand for eggs.

“Funding this project will attract new investment and jobs and provide a positive impact on
the economic and environmental sustainability of the region,” Mr Hardman said.

“The electrical upgrade project secures the existing 40 jobs at Kinross Farm which is one of
Murrindindi Shire’s largest employers, and will create an extra 12 jobs during construction
and five full time positions after expansion.

-/2
 -2-

“The extra $3.9 million investment and job creation will go a long way to promoting the
economic growth and liveability of the region as it recovers from the 2009 bushfires.”

The $152,000 Victorian Government support is provided to Kinross Farm through the
Regional Infrastructure Development Fund, which has been very successful in leveraging
funds to deliver much needed infrastructure projects across Victoria.

“To date the RIDF has provided $611 million to fund 393 projects worth more than $1.6
billion across provincial Victoria.”