Corowa's saleyards have received the biggest single funding injection in their 60-year history with $9.2 million from the NSW government to be spent on roofing the complex and upgrades to onsite water catchment systems.
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The saleyards are one of the town's biggest economic drivers with close to 600,000 sheep and lambs sold each year from both sides of the border generating average sales of more than $81 million.
It's estimated close to 40 per cent of the saleyards' throughput comes from Victorian sheep producers as far away as Omeo.
Other improvements to the saleyards operated by Federation Council includes upgraded lighting, solar panels and truck wash and a new commercial weigh station.
In 2019-20 the throughput of sheep and lambs at Corowa jumped to 806,897 head.
The deal also includes the creation of a multi-purpose learning centre in a partnership with NSW TAFE.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy made the funding announcement at the saleyards yesterday.
"It underscores the importance of agriculture in our region as well as their economic importance for the Corowa community," he said.
"It future proofs a major livestock selling centre not just for NSW, but also northern Victoria."
Federation mayor Pat Bourke welcomed the funding.
"This new investment complements council's strong track record of investing back into the facility, including most recently the $430,000 allocation to construct new auctioneer walkways overhead and the construction of 29 new selling pens," he said.
Corowa Associated Agents president Steve Grantham said council had been rewarded for its commitment to the saleyards.
"The work they have done there in the last five or six years has been phenomenal," he said.
"They turned it from a pretty mediocre set-up to an extremely good one and now it's only going to get better.
"With the roof going over it there is going to be some really strong animal welfare outcomes which is very important.
"With saleyards there are lot of boxes that need to be ticked."