Coreen Pig Breeder Farm (Proposed)

Coreen Pig Breeder Farm (Huddans) Record as at 20 May 2026

Operator JBS Pork Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Brazilian multinational JBS S.A. and one of the world's largest meat corporations.

Location 665 Balldale-Coreen Road, Coreen, NSW (Federation LGA)

Status Development application lodged October 2025, awaiting Environmental Impact Statement and approval.

The Facility A proposed new intensive pig breeding facility confining up to 35,000 pigs at any one time across six enclosed breeding sheds and associated infrastructure. This facility is part of the JBS redevelopment of the former Rivalea integrated operation, a large-scale network spanning breeding, grow-out, feed milling, meat processing, sales and distribution across the region. Three other related JBS piggery developments are proposed simultaneously nearby: the Corowa Grower Farm, Mulwala Nucleus Pig Farm, and Lowesdale Breeder Farm. The facility feeds directly into the existing Corowa Piggery, which already confines up to 300,000 pigs and operates an on-site slaughterhouse killing up to 650,000 pigs per year.

The Animals Up to 35,000 pigs confined on-site at any one time across six sheds with distinct functions: a nursery shed, a Gilt Development Unit where young female pigs are grown to reproductive maturity, two farrowing sheds where sows give birth and raise piglets, a gestation shed for confirmed pregnant sows, and a mating and early gestation shed where sows are artificially inseminated and held until pregnancy is confirmed. No male pigs are kept on site. Only semen is brought in for artificial insemination. The facility produces its own replacement female breeders, with sows forcibly impregnated repeatedly throughout their lives. Piglets not required for replacement breeding are separated from their mothers at 25 days old and trucked off-site to the Corowa Piggery, where they are grown out and then slaughtered. Dead animals are composted in a dedicated on-site composting shed. Contingency plans are required for the mass killing and disposal of all animals in the event of a disease outbreak.

Hours of Operation The facility is approved to operate up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Odour The NSW EPA identified odour as a key concern. Three distinct odour sources are present: the confinement sheds, the wastewater treatment ponds, and land irrigation with treated effluent. Intensive pig facilities of this scale are a recognised source of significant odour pollution affecting surrounding properties.

Air Quality The facility will generate dust, particulate matter, and airborne emissions from 35,000 confined pigs and their waste.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions The facility is classified as a potential large emitter, likely to produce 25,000+ tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions per year.

Disease, Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) Both the NSW EPA and Murrumbidgee Local Health District flagged the risk of JEV outbreaks. JEV is a mosquito-borne virus that can spread from pigs to humans. Staff working on the premises are recommended to be vaccinated.

Human Health Community exposure to airborne pathogens, odour, and contaminated water has been formally identified as a risk.

Wastewater and Effluent The facility will produce large volumes of pig-waste-contaminated wastewater managed through a covered anaerobic lagoon of 40 million litres capacity, two effluent settling ponds, and an effluent storage pond. Treated effluent is proposed to be land-irrigated on-site, with identified risks to nearby rivers, creeks, and groundwater.

Traffic The facility will generate weekly movements including 5 B-Double feed trucks, 2 B-Doubles transporting weaners off-site, and 1 B-Double removing culled animals, plus 25 staff vehicles per day. Transport for NSW raised concerns about heavy vehicle movements on local roads. Federation Council is seeking a haulage contribution from JBS to cover road damage costs.

Biodiversity The site adjoins areas of Terrestrial Biodiversity and Wetlands, as flagged by Federation Council.

Community Impact Federation Council is seeking a developer levy and monetary contributions to the small nearby communities of Coreen, Daysdale, Lowesdale, and Balldale.

Source: NSW Government Planning Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), agency submissions, and JBS Pork Australia Scoping Report, September–October 2025.