LUV-A-DUCK will expand its operations by building four new sheds to house 60,000 ducks at Gerang Gerung.
Hindmarsh Shire Council has granted a planning permit for four duck-growing sheds to be built on a contractor's property along Gerang-Glenlee Road, Gerang Gerung.
The 101-hectare property, owned by James Barry, is currently used for cropping.
Luv-A-Duck manager John Millington said the project would be staged with one shed built at a time.
"It is a private contractor who is putting the sheds up on his property," he said.
"He will put up one shed first and will have to prove his competence before he can put up a second shed.
"We have been doing contract growing since 2004 and it is very successful."
Mr Millington said using contractors to raise ducks on different properties could help prevent disease outbreaks.
"Instead of having all our eggs in the one basket or all our birds on the one site, we have them spread out on a number of locations," he said.
"If for some reason there is a problem in one shed, it will not travel on to the next shed and the next and the next.
"There is great separation."
Mr Millington said the development was part of larger Luv-A-Duck expansion plans, which included a new grandparent breeder farm at Gymbowen.
He said expanding Luv-A-Duck would benefit the Wimmera community.
"We have to expand our breeding stock first before we can expand our growing facility," he said.
"Ultimately, having an extra growing shed will mean extra staff in the hatchery and the processing plant so it has flow-on effects for the community."
Mr Millington said he expected the first shed, housing up to 15,000 ducks, to be built by mid-2013
