Customer in Focus: The Rorato Family

Brothers' farming legacy continues to burn bright

This story of Italian immigrants Robert, Louciano and Sergio Rorato, who settled in Jerilderie in the mid-1960s, celebrates the rich history of family farming in our region and the lasting legacies that continue to shape new generations of farmers.

The enterprising siblings spent four years share farming in Griffith. Through hard work and toil, they managed to accumulate enough money to put a deposit on 'Yaccamunda', a 600-hectare farm situated east of Jerilderie on the banks of the Billabong Creek. The name, in the local Aboriginal language, means 'reedy place'.

They were determined to succeed, indeed thrive, in this new place they called home.

Much to the bemusement of their neighbours, they began ploughing deep into the clay soil, painstakingly preparing it for cultivation.

"Everyone thought they were mad," Glenn said.

"This is all sheep country, and here they were ripping it up to grow crops.

"People were saying, 'What are these guys doing?'"   

Brimming with gusto, the trio set about growing all manner of fruit and vegetables; grapes, onions, pumpkins, carrots and rockmelons.   

Winter cereals and summer grown cotton, corn and tomatoes crops - the latter which spawned the family's renowned tomato processing business, Billabong Produce - would come later, as the operation slowly but surely expanded.

Robert, Louciano and Sergio worked tirelessly planting and tending their crops; all the while testing new varieties and farming techniques in their never-ending quest to yield the very best from the soil.

Once harvest time came around, they would pack the produce into the back of their Commer Knocker truck and drive it to the Melbourne and Sydney markets.

After selling their goods, they would travel back to the farm, reload the truck and go again.

It is a cycle they would replicate for days at a time during the hectic harvest period, when time was of the essence and sleep was the ultimate luxury.

Pick, pack, freight, sell - repeat...

"They'd take it in turns driving - one behind the wheel the other two asleep under the tarp," Glenn said.

"Dad said sometimes he wouldn't sleep for three days, by the time they picked, drove to the market, spent the day there, drove back to Jerilderie, reload and headed off again." 

It was during these early years that Louciano decided to leave the partnership to pursue a career in engineering. He founded East End Welding in Jerilderie, which still operates today. More recently, he has made a return to farming with the establishment of local olive growing enterprise, Olive Oil of Australia.

While their brother chose a different pathway, Robert and Sergio remained committed to shaping a future through farming.   

Fast forward to 2024, and the legacy of their hard work, resolve and foresight stands tall.

The original 600-hectare farm where sheep once roamed has grown more than ten-fold, and now spans 8,500 hectares across various local holdings. Around 6,500 hectares are dedicated to winter cereals, while summer crops account for the remaining 2,000 hectares. More than 60 per cent is irrigation, watered through a mix of spray, flood, sub surface and pontoon (siphonless) irrigation.

The farming operation, which today goes by the name 'Rorato Nominees', employs 15 staff across its office, farming, transport arms and is run by three of Sergio's children, Glenn, Allan and Sandra.

In a true family affair, Sandra's two children Jenna and Marcus, and daughter in-law Gemma, also work within the business.   

Nonna Sylvia, whose pasta sauce recipe was famously behind the most popular of Billabong Produce's successful line of tomato-based products, too remains involved.  

Sadly, the family lost Robert from cancer in 1992, and Sergio passed away in 2020.

Sylvia said Sergio was passionate about farming right up to his final days.

"Just two days before he passed away, Serge still wanted to go farming," Sylvia said.

"He was so determined, to the very last.

"Throughout his life, he was so courageous.

"Nothing stopped him. Nothing deterred him." 

With sons Glenn, Allan and daughter Sandra at the helm, Sylvia knows the future of Rorato Nominees rests in capable hands. Her other daughter, Carla, has built a life in Queensland and is happy to love the farm from afar!

"My lot, I have to say, they all get along," Sylvia said.

"I have to be proud of that." 

With 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren (plus another on the way), only time will tell if members of the third Rorato generation will be keen to take up the family mantle.

"It would be nice, but you never know," Glenn said

"We're not pushing them either way.

Sergio remained passionate about farming until his final days.

"Whatever they want to do when they finish school it will be their choice. We'll see what happens."

Meanwhile, there are fresh farming opportunities to be explored, following the family's recent decision to bring an end to their tomato production.

It means the factory - the beating heart of Billabong Produce - which has been manufacturing rich Italian pasta sauces and purees for supermarkets around Australia for more than three decades, will stand strangely quiet when the summer harvest arrives.   

Sergio had initially established the processing plant in a bid to curb what he saw as the senseless wastage from over-contracted fruit.

Over time, the venture expanded to become a main part of the business, processing around 10,000 tonnes of tomatoes each year.

While this latest business restructure has been undertaken for strategic purposes, it's been an emotional decision for the family nevertheless. 

"We seemed to be spending a lot of time running the manufacturing side of the business," Glenn said.

"We all thought that we've either got to back off on the farming - and we really like farming - or back off on the manufacturing; so that's what we've decided to do." 

With agriculture so deeply entrenched in the family psyche, few could argue.