The Australian sheepmeat industry has gone from strength to strength in 2016. During the year Australian lamb producers experienced growth across farm cash income, farm business profit, and overall farm rate of return (ABARES 2016). The industry continues to defy the traditional trade-off between supply and demand, with 2015-16 being another consecutive record year of lambs processed with corresponding near record high prices (MLA 2016).

During 2016 the Sheepmeat Council of Australia has continued to work on behalf of all sheepmeat producers to build a solid foundation for the future of the industry. Some highlights of this work include:

• Development of future industry leaders through the MLA-funded Building Leadership Capability for the Sheep Industry project which was officially launched at Old Parliament House in May. The project will ensure the Australian sheep industry attracts, develops and retains people with the right leadership skills to contribute to the long-term viability of the industry. 
   
• Progress on trade negotiations has been slow but significant this year due to Australian and USA elections and Brexit. However, on behalf of producers we have maintained efforts to achieve beneficial outcomes in particular with the ratification of the China FTA, conclusion of the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and significant efforts lobbying for greater access for sheepmeat products into India, the UK and the EU.
   
• In January Jamie Heinrich, SCA Young Leader, Mark Harvey Sutton, SCA CEO and Jeff Murray, SCA President, travelled to Scottsdale Arizona to meet with the TriLamb group.
   
• Towards the middle of the year the Victorian Government announced their decision to implement mandatory electronic identification from January 2017 for producers with supply chain partners required to comply by ‘mid’ 2017. SCA was disappointed by this decision despite our efforts to explain the benefits of the current national mob based system
   
• The SCA continued to progress discussions about future representation of sheepmeat producers, and worked with industry organisations at the national and state level to resolve funding and structural concerns.
   
• A real effort has been made during 2016 to increase our visibility and accessibility to producers. Attendance at LambEx, the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition, South Australian Sheep Expo, Innovation Generation, CSU Sheep Producers Forum as well as Board meetings and associated networking activities in Bordertown SA (February 2016) and Albury NSW (August 2016) and other industry events have afforded us the opportunity to hear from producers and to connect with the youth of the industry.
   
• The SCA had a very successful event as part of LambEx in August. The enthusiasm at the event was truly a reflection of the positivity in the industry at the moment, with exciting new developments and opportunities at our finger tips.
   
• During LambEx we were honoured to host the TriLamb Group which comprised the peak sheep meat producer and R&D organisations from Australia (SCA & MLA), United States (American Sheep Industry Association and American Lamb Board), and New Zealand (Beef & Lamb New Zealand and Federated Farmers NZ). The group toured from Canberra through a range of sheep properties and research facilities to Albury and then travelled to New Zealand for a 4-day tour as part of the TriLamb Young Leaders Program. 
   
• As custodians of the Sheep Industry Strategic Plan (SISP) the SCA Board has continued to work with Animal Health Australia, the National Residue Survey and Meat and Livestock Australia to ensure sheep transaction levy investment is aligned with the priorities set by producers through the strategic plan.
   
• In support of the Live Export Trade, SCA President Jeff Murray and Acting CEO Kathleen Allan visited the Middle East in August as part of a Delegation. The visit was organised by LiveCorp and MLA as part of the Live Export Program (LEP). The group visited abattoirs, markets and retail outlets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the AUE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai).
   
• At our AGM in November we welcomed new Board Members Allan Piggott from SA and Chris Kemp from NSW. Allan has taken on the role of SCA Vice President. We acknowledge the outstanding contribution of retiring Board Members James Jackson from NSW and Alexander MacLachlan from SA.

The SCA is looking forward to building on this great work in 2017 as we continue to work on delivering outcomes identified in the SISP, including a sheepmeat language review and developing future industry leaders. For more information on what we are doing head to sheepmeatcouncil.com.au or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

On behalf of the SCA Board and Staff we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year.