The NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative was formed in 1978 when local cane growers purchased the state's three mills from CSR.

Today, 600 members and their families grow 36,000 hectares of sugar cane along the coastal strip from south of Maclean to the Queensland border. About 2 million tonnes of crop will be harvested and milled in 2008 from June to December to produce more than 200,000 tonnes of raw sugar.

This is about five per cent of national sugar production. Ninety per cent of NSW production is sold to major food and beverage manufacturers, including Nestle, Uncle Toby's, Lion Nathan and Coca-Cola. The remainder is supplied to Woolworths and other major supermarkets for retail sales as house brands or in NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative's own brand, Sunshine Sugar.

Mills are located at Condong, Broadwater and Harwood and sugar is a significant contributor to the economy of the area and provides the community with employment opportunities, growth and prosperity. It is one of the region's biggest employers and accounts for $230 million of regional economic output per annum.

Total direct and indirect employment in the region is estimated at 2,200. This includes 450 mill and refinery employees.

The 2008 season is a watershed for the industry with 30MW cogeneration power plants at Condong and Broadwater to start generation of green power. These will use trash previously burnt pre or post harvest in the paddock to generate renewable energy for the national grid.

The plants are being built in a joint venture with the state-owned Delta Electricity and will generate electricity for up to 30,000 averaged sized homes. They will also provide a reduction in cane fires and growers and communities see this as key to the long-term viability of the industry. Total project costs are $210million.

The NSW sugar industry is a carbon neutral industry.>