The Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) has released a report that confirms the need to address infrastructure challenges and a tactical approach to reducing technical barriers to trade.
Chair Don Mackay said the Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2020 Mid-Term Achievements Report shows an industry leading the way despite mounting global headwinds.
“The report clearly demonstrates we are on track to achieve $6.5 billion growth of a targeted $7 billion in growth under the MISP2020,” he said.
“As an industry of 75,000 businesses and over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs worth $18 billion to the Australian economy, we know how important it is for industry to be proactive about future risks and opportunities.
“Consumer sentiment remains extremely positive for Australian beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat, with 24 per cent of Australians willing to pay more to buy Australian beef and Australian lamb.”
Mr Mackay said despite industry working strategically more needs to be done by the Federal Government to allow industry to achieve its collective goals and set the next ambitious target for Australia’s $18-billion-dollar red meat industry.
He said globally, 24 per cent of customers place Australian beef as their first preference and 26.5 per cent prefer Australian lamb.
“This demonstrates that, as ever, our industry continues to punch above its weight in the global marketplace,” Mr Mackay said.
“What we need is a refocus on the things that put money back into Australia’s 75,000 red meat businesses, many of which represent modest government investment and policy reform,” Mr Mackay said.
“This includes broad-scale infrastructure improvement through the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, which we fear will be silent on the needs of Australian agribusinesses. These priorities including the Government establishing a top-level task force to reduce our $3.4-billion technical trade bill and critical intervention in Australia’s red meat productivity rates.”