SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

March 07, 2024

Manana Pastoral, founded by Ian and Jane Campbell in November 2020, is a sustainable agriculture venture that produces highly nutritious beef and lamb. The Cambell’s have a rich history in organic farming and were the founders of Barambah Organics Dairy, which was established in 2002. After 18 years of operating Barambah Organics, Ian and Jane decided to start Manana Pastoral due to their passion for the food processing industry and having a direct relationship with the consumer. They felt that dairying was too intensive and all-consuming, so they decided to continue their journey in agriculture by utilizing Ian’s skills in animal nutrition and growing nutritious feed, along with Jane’s interest in promoting and marketing nutritional food.

Manana is a Spanish word, which means tomorrow. Planning for the future is in Ian and Jane’s blood and their focus on sustainable agriculture is evident in their farming practices. They strive to ensure their prices are reasonable, with the goal to make quality, healthy food as affordable as possible.

Manana Pastoral’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and producing highly nutritious food is a testament to the Campbell’s passion for the food processing industry and their direct relationship with the consumer.

With a joint interest in Aberdeen Angus Cattle and the sheep breed, Australian Whites Ian and Jane spent the first two years of their journey building up stock numbers, while also managing their own olive grove located on the Macintyre Brook.

Manana Pastoral stands out from the competition because they are passionate about agriculture and producing high-quality food. Unlike others in the food and agricultural industry, the Campbells are not in it for a quick buck. They have access to highly nutritious grasses for their animals, which allows them to stock their properties lightly and avoid overgrazing. Additionally, their animals and picual and arbequina olive grove on the Macintyre Brook benefit from an excellent water source.

At Manana Pastoral, Ian and Jane are passionate about nurturing the health and wellbeing of their customers. They take pride in their nutritious products and love to share them with their family and friends. The taste of their produce is exquisite, and they ensure that their animals are treated with utmost care. In addition, they are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by practicing organic farming methods on their farms. Their goal is to become carbon neutral by 2025.

“focus on sustainable agriculture is evident in their farming practices

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“have access to highly nutritious grasses for their animals, which allows them to stock their properties lightly and avoid overgrazing”

Manana Pastoral’s mob of sheep are currently grazing on a 3,000 hectare property named Minnel, located 60 kilometres west of Goondiwindi. The property is a historic sheep station, where thousands of merinos were once shorn. Meanwhile, Manana Pastoral’s Angus cattle are located on a 4,500 hectare NASAA certified organic property named New Cashmere, located near St George. With the Campbell’s shifting their focus to red meat production, the mob of sheep will soon be relocated to New Cashmere. To handle the sheep more efficiently, Ian and Jane have been awarded a Queensland State Government Grant to build a shed and yards at New Cashmere. The St George property also has a large water allocation and centre pivot irrigators to irrigate grass-based crops.

In 2023, Manana Pastoral’s food processing facility at Oxley was approved by Safe Food QLD, and they began actively marketing their products. Since then, their meat products have been awarded two silver medals at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Competition for their Grassfed Lamb and Grassfed and Certified Organic Beef. The grassfed beef was the second highest beef score in the competition, which is a testament to Ian’s honed animal nutrition skills that are a key contributing factor in Manana Pastoral’s success at the competition.

Manana Pastoral is a thriving enterprise with Ian and Jane working at different locations, between Oxley in Brisbane, and St George. Ian’s Cessna 182 is his ace in the hole when he needs to get back to town in a hurry. It allows him to fly back into Archerfield at Brisbane with ease.

A pivotal moment in the Manana Pastoral story has been stocking their products in our Market Organics stores. They are thrilled to have their range of quality meats available on our shelves and have been able to expand their team with new staff members. Harry, Manana Pastoral’s driver, who has been a godsend, along with their Master Butcher and apprentice.

When Ian and Jane aren’t tending to their farm, they are actively involved in the community. Jane volunteers for the Queensland Royal Flying Doctors service, while Ian participates in the RFDS Outback Air Race. In 2022, the couple helped raise $70,000 for the RFDS. Additionally, they enjoy attending the New Farm Powerhouse Markets on Saturdays, where they share their approach to farming and the nutritional benefits of their products with consumers. They also provide wholesome recipes to the community, so they can prepare nutritious meals at home.

By Jessica Hetherington