Meet

The O’Leary family first settled in the Elong district in 1902.

Matt’s great grandfather, Daniel, started the traditions of mixed farming using conventional farming methods, which continued through the generations.

It was in 1987 that Matt, a fourth-generation farmer, and his father, Denis, first visited an organic farm. They were excited with what they discovered and that visit became the catalyst to move towards a sustainable agricultural system.

They received A Grade Organic Certification in 1989 and are often referred to as pioneers in the organic industry.

Time has proven that it was a very sound and significant decision. Eliminating chemicals and artificial fertilisers have significantly improved the general health of the animals, the soil, and family members.

The O’Leary family saw organic as the way of the future. Their drive and passion for using sustainable farming practices shows their commitment to producing cleaner and greener food and taking care of the environment. 

The wholesaling operation started taking shape and in 1990, as demand was growing for the O’Leary produce, Australian Organic Meats emerged. 

Australian Organic Meats was the very first in the world to achieve Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) certification for organic livestock.

The Group was also the first to comply with the standards set out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan for the production of organic beef. 

There was a huge opportunity for supplying top-quality organically produced meat. Matt and Julie, together with Matt’s parents, Denis and Margaret, continued to expand their enterprise and commenced first exports in 2001.

The Organic industry continues to mature and consumer demand continues to grow across all sectors.