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Welcome to Cattle Australia's March update. CA looks forward to the arrival of our new CEO in April, and is progressing a number of key industry matters. In this edition:
- Luke Bowen Joins Cattle Australia from April 17
- Opposition to the Federal Government's ban of live sheep exports
- Hundreds of international scientists back the cattle and livestock industry
- Sustainability Stories: Queensland and the NT's NAPCo Cattle Company
- NFF Diversity in Leadership Program opens for 2023
Luke Bowen has been appointed the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Cattle Australia.
Luke led the industry's fight against the suspension of the live cattle trade in 2011 when he was the CEO of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association. He is currently head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Biosecurity with the NT Department of Industry Tourism and Trade.
Luke brings to Cattle Australia, a broad and extensive wealth of knowledge in, the cattle industry, advocacy processes, grant funding, program management and membership-based organisations.
Earlier in the week the Federal Government started consultation with industry to phase out the live export of sheep
Cattle Australia is concerned by the precedent being set by developing live export policy as a response to activism and not on the basis of science or merit.
Prime Minister Albanese and his government have given our industry a public assurance that live cattle exports will not be targeted, and we expect them to uphold that assurance.
Australia’s live cattle export industry is a world leader in animal welfare and the only live export industry that helps to ensure positive animal welfare outcomes overseas through our one-of-a-kind ESCAS system.
If there was ever a move to ban the export of live cattle from Australia, it would have a devastating impact on the importing countries as Australian live cattle remain a critical element to improving food security and employment opportunities in those countries that cannot easily develop large scale cattle enterprises to meet their needs.
Cattle Australia calls on the Prime Minister to restate his support for the continuance of the Live cattle trade.
Additionally, we remain very disappointed that after more than 10 years the Northern Territory cattle producers are still waiting to receive Court awarded compensation after the Federal Court found the live trade was shut down by the then Gillard Labor government unlawfully. Settling this matter should be the priority for this government.”
- David Foote, Cattle Australia Chair
Cattle Australia has welcomed the endorsement of world livestock industries in a statement signed by more than 840 international scientists.
The Dublin Declaration of Scientists on the Societal Role of Livestock acknowledges the high importance of animal agriculture to feeding the world – and urges policymakers to continually refer to science in decision-making.
Cattle Australia has set up a dedicated hub with resources to assist producers in protecting their industry and their individual properties from an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.
Producers can access the hub under 'Resources' on the Cattle Australia website or by clicking here
Applications for the Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program are open from now until 19 April 2023.
12 women will be selected and matched with an industry-leading mentor to develop and work towards leadership goals over 5 months.
Participants will come to Canberra for a three-day leadership retreat 20 – 22 June and again at the completion of the program for a graduation event in October.
To find out more and to apply click here
Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) open call
The MLA Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) program annual call is opening on April 3 2023 and interested parties are invited to register for an upcoming webinar to find out more about the PDS process.
The PDS program offers a hands-on, small-group delivery of best management practices and new technologies on local commercial properties. Working in supportive peer groups, producers gain new skills along with the confidence to apply these learnings to their own business.
Two PDS information webinars will be hosted on the 16 March – one for northern producers and one for southern producers.
- Southern producers can register here for the PDS webinar on the 16 March at 12PM
- Northern producers can register here for the PDS webinar on the 16 March at 2PM.
MeatUps and BeefUp forums
MLA is working hard to promote our MeatUp and BeefUp forums as a key adoption event to connect with producers in regions all over Australia.
This year there will be five MeatUp forums and six BeefUp forums held, providing an opportunity for red meat producers and advisors to hear from industry experts on the latest R&D, market developments and regional adoption programs. Each forum is developed with a regional focus in partnership with local working groups.
Each event includes:
- presentations, panel sessions, Q&A and demonstrations
- discussion between producers, advisors, researchers and other service providers (e.g. community services)
- industry resources, plus a comprehensive program to take home.
MeatUp forums, for beef, sheep and goat producers, will take place in Wudinna (SA), Albany (WA), Tamworth, Cowra (NSW) and Cunnamulla (Qld).
BeefUp forums, for beef producers in northern Australia, will be held in Broome, Kununurra (WA), Taroom, Hughenden (Qld), the Barkly and Alice Springs (NT).
National Bovine Livestock Language Guidelines
An independent expert group has created a new document that sets out a common language of terminology to describe livestock for the Australian beef industry.
The National Bovine Livestock Language Guidelines bring together a set of common descriptive words for beef cattle in a way that also aligns industry terminology with consumer terminology.
The document intends to define the terminology of a broad range of production topics including physical descriptions, fat score, muscle score, breed descriptions, coats and hides and many others.
The guidelines are administered by AUS-MEAT, which will oversee amendments to the Guidelines as technology evolves.
Updates
Check the latest industry updates anytime at https://cattleaustralia.com.au/updates/
The following is a selection of key dates when Cattle Australia will be representing Australian Cattle Producers during March:
3-17 March - Farmers for Frace Summit, Paris
14 March - SAFEMEAT Incident Response Exercise
16 March - Lumpy Skin Disease and Foot and Mount Disease Working Group
17 March - AUSVET PLAN FMD Writing Group Meeting
20-25 March - AHA Member Engagement Week
20 March - EADRA Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement Meeting
21 March - Good Meat Forum
21 March - AHA Industry Forum
22-23 March - EADRA Member Meetings
22 March - National Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Committee
22 March - Sustainability Goals Consultation Best Animal Care
23 March - Sustainability Goals Consultation Economic Resilience and Climate
24 March - National Management Group EAD Training
24 March - Sustainability Goals Consultation People & Environmental Stewardship
28 March - CA Webinar: New sustainability verification & learning resources
28 March - Lumpy Skin Disease Writing Group
29 March - Export Meat Industry Advisory Committee meeting
29 March - National Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Committee
30 March - Cattle Australia Policy Council Meets
4 April - Australian Biosecurity Awards Ceremony
5 April - National Biosecurity Forum, Canberra
20 April - Australian Beef Sustainability Framework Industry Forum
Lack of producer participation part of changes to ABS ag stats collection
Meat processing industry says quarantine facility good short-term solution for housing workers
Vets declare Ovine Johne's Disease endemic across NSW, as farmers increase biosecurity
ALFA launches new online livestock handling courses
Australian exporters rekindle China ties amid diplomatic thaw
Does Brazil’s China market suspension spell opportunity for Australian beef?
Commercialising Tasmania's seaweed industry
‘Just shop at Aldi’: the four-word phrase ‘infuriating’ Aussie shoppers
