Mindset changed to find value

Mr Schilling and wife Merridee crop up to 2327 hectares on northern Yorke Peninsula.

The business also produces beer from its barley, flour from its wheat and chickpeas, and sends pulses to well-known chef Simon Bryant of Dirty Inc.

Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone said the business was a perfect example of how value-adding could help increase the profitability of SA producers.

"Growers need to understand how valuable they are," he said.

"The Schillings are value-adding to products that have been taken for granted for such a long time - put into bags, put onto ships, put into bottles and into value-added food products for others.

"Mark's products here today show what the industry can achieve and it sets the bar for the rest of industry."

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Mr Schilling said they began value-adding to their grain because they wanted to be "price makers". The company has its own seed cleaning and packing facility and exports its own grain.

"We moved away from a bulk mentality because it didn't pay the bills," he said.

"The whole industry needs to start changing its mindset from dollars a tonne to cents a kilogram to get more value from our produce, particularly from other countries.

"It takes commitment and direction, that's why the blueprint is a good move for the state government to get behind.

"SA grain is clean and green, so we need to cash in on that.

"This blueprint will help the government show overseas customers what the SA grains industry has to offer.

"And not only is it about promoting SA, it will be a blueprint of how the SA grain industry should look in five, 10, 15, 20 years."