Customer Case Studies

Southern Cotton Gin was founded in 2011 by five innovative farmers who saw an opportunity to support cotton growers in the South and took it upon themselves to make it happen.

We recently caught up with Kate O'Callaghan from Southern Cotton Gin, who kindly took us on a tour of the cotton gin and the process involved.

With more than 50 years of farming experience, Frank and his family have taken a handful of olive trees and expanded Morella Grove into an impressive gourmet brand. 

Family remains at the heart of their business, with a rich heritage and a passion for quality produce 

The Parle family are the reason why the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) can proudly say that all Australian McDonald's pickles are produced here.

The family have been the sole supplier of McDonald's Australia's pickles since 1980 and won the franchise's Supplier of the Year award in 2023!

We caught up with Operations Manager, Ben Parle, for some first-hand insight into pickle production in the MIA.

The Piccolo family have built a unique circular economy by combining the 'Piccolo Family Farm' agritourism experience, their local restaurant, Limone Dining and wine label, Caro Piccolo. Each arm of the business is brought to life through a passion for sustainable, locally grown produce.

We caught up with Luke Piccolo who shared a behind the scenes look at the family business.

Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod chose the MIA as the base for operations producing premium, pond-grown Murray Cod because of the need for a reliable irrigation network.

This case study outlines the cooperation between MI and the Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod which led to the establishment of the first business of its kind, growing Murray Cod, in the region.

Since Rob Houghton's family drew the farm in a soldier settlement scheme back in the 1930s, they have been involved with irrigation.

Read about how both Rob and MI's approach to irrigation is constantly evolving to increase effectiveness and productivity, especially as new technologies are created and become available.

Terry McFarlane grows many different high value seed crops, from hybrid canola and wheat varieties to onions, pumpkins and basil.

Discover how Terry has increased his farm's productivity and profitability through working with MI to get on board with automation and upgrade outlets.

The Riverina is Australia's largest wine region, growing 66 varieties of grapes and producing 1 in every 4 glasses of wine.

We caught up with Sam Brewer from Yarran Wines, who provided us with some first-hand insight into wine production in the MIA.

Since 1928, De Bortoli Wines has been a cornerstone of the Riverina region’s wine industry. Based in Bilbul, just northeast of Griffith, the family-owned business has evolved into a leader in both viticulture and broadacre farming, combining tradition with innovation to build a diversified and sustainable operation.

Griffith is the regional service centre for the vast Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, one of the most productive agricultural regions in Australia.

ProTen, a leading broiler chicken farm developer and operator, is strategically located here, with a total of 21 poultry shed sites across 56 hectares in the Griffith region alone.

From India to New Zealand and then Australia, agriculture and farming has always been a part of Mavi Singh's life. In 2003, he bought his property, Mavi Farms, in Leeton and has since built a successful citrus operation.

Check out this case study which includes a range of different irrigation strategies used by Mavi throughout his time in farming. 

Stahmann Webster is a large producer of walnuts, pecans, macadamias and almonds.
They expanded their growth to the Riverina region in 2004 where most of their plantings are now located.

Read this case study to learn about how a partnership between Stahmann Webster and MI has contributed to the enrichment of the MIA produce and community.

Bill Barnhill's family have been growing organic rice and cereals on their Leeton property for almost 100 years.

This case study tells of Bill's experiences of how both farming and irrigation have transformed overtime and, despite his initial hesitations, why these changes have improved practices.

Baiada encompasses the Lilydale Free Range and Steggles brands and is one of the biggest producers of chicken meat in the country. Since the late 1950's, they have been running their poultry processing and farming in the Riverina region.

Discover how Baiada uses the water MI supplies including operating their own water treatment plant for self-sufficient processing which allows the water to be recycled for multiple functions.

A property with a history in the Houghton family dating back to 1927 was separated into two entities in 2000. Now these two adjoining properties are operated by John and Michelle Houghton and their son, William, with his partner, Tanisha.

In this case study, you can discover how the Houghton family worked with MI, including to consolidate and streamline the two farm's water ordering and receiving to enhance efficiency.

Farming in the MIA since 1912, the McDonell family have used their property for a range of operations from rice to oats to corn to cotton to livestock.

Read this case study to discover how MI's water delivery system to create flexibility, profitability and efficiency in their farming practices.

The Carlon family have been farming in the Benerembah area since the late 1960s. Over a decade ago, Garry Carlon made the switch from rice crop to nut production to better suit the land and water requirements.

This case study tells of Garry's efforts to utilise opportunities and make decisions to improve farming practices in collaboration with MI, such as the conversion from flood irrigation to drip irrigation.

Peter and Katherine Herrmann have been growing walnuts at Murrami since 2015.

Read this case study to learn about Peter and Katherine's experiences, including the steps taken to achieve their aspirations, such as their partnership with MI and using reports.

The Ciccia family's first farm was purchased in the MIA in 1938 and established as a citrus and wine grape business. Now a number of small farms within the business are run by brothers, Michael, Tony and Joseph.

This case study tells of how the Ciccia family overcome challenges relating to efficiency and productivity with the help of MI.

Since Bill Morshead returned from WW2 in 1949, the Moreshead family have been farming their property in the MIA. Their crops have diversified over the years starting with rice and winter cereals and expanding to include corn, cotton and seed crops like canola.

In this case study, you can read about how MI' transformations have created more farming opportunities, including how irrigation allows for the Morshead family's diversity in crop production.

Peter and Erin Draper's property is located just outside of Leeton where their first rice crop was grown in 1974.

This case study details how a change of layout and MI's services have allowed for the flexibility Peter and Erin need to easily adapt to their property and crop's changing needs.

According to Citrus Australia, the Riverina cultivates approximately 8,510ha of planted citrus and is the largest citrus growing region in Australia, responsible for 30 percent of Australian citrus.

We had a chat to one of our citrus-growing customers, Frank Battistel, about his produce, its popularity and the role irrigation plays in its cultivation.