BOOST FOR SHEEP MILKER

The fledgling sheep milk industry has been given a $12.6 million boost with Government funding for a Primary Growth Partnership project with Spring Sheep Milk Co. The Sheep — Horizon Three programme aims to develop “a market driven, end-to-end value chain generating annual revenues of between $200m and $700m by 2030”. The Crown’s contribution, via the Ministry for Primary Industries, amounts to 40 per cent of the programme, while Spring Sheep will put in $18.8m over its six-year life. Spring Sheep is half owned by Landcorp, while chief executive Scottie Chapman owns the rest through agri-business marketer and investor SLC Ventures. _