Cattle Council Australia told to make it work: Agriculture Minister Murray Watt

The Agriculture Minister has put the onus firmly on the industry to get their representation in order and has shown no indication of any appetite to fund yet another round of negotiations.

Labor's Murray Watt has warned the cattle industry to form a united voice after taxpayers forked out hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide the opportunity of two years of negotiating between the warring factions wanting to speak for the grassfed cattle producer.

That lengthy process of negotiation has culminated in a draft constitution for Cattle Australia, which now has to be accepted by 75 per cent of the membership of the current peak industry body Cattle Council of Australia.

The vote is scheduled for tomorrow, and has been the subject of plenty of heated debate among both State Farming Organisations - which are the founding members of Cattle Council - and producers.

Mr Watt warned the government wanted to see "a positive outcome", particularly given the amount of taxpayers' money that had been invested in the mediation process, which was at least $500,000.

"Given this investment, I expect - and taxpayers expect - that all parts of the industry take responsibility to make these reforms work," Mr Watt said.

"Having a united sector would be good for producers, the industry generally and for its ability to approach government with a united position."

However, when asked if the government would get everyone back to the table should the vote fail, Mr Murray did not directly answer the question.

"I am hopeful of a positive outcome next Tuesday, along with many other people with an interest in Australia's cattle industry," he said.

Prominent northern beef producer Josie Angus lashed out at the lack of a long-term sustainable funding plan for the body, saying in a social media post she would be voting no.

She said despite being given $500,000 in funding to develop this important change, both the Cattle Council and the restructure committee (appointed to develop the draft constitution) had failed to engage the cattle producers of Australia in this important initiative.

She said 63,000 of the 64,000-odd beef producers in Australia would not have any say in tomorrow's vote.

Many of the smaller groups who represent cattle producers have also been very critical of the process.

John Gunthorpe, from the Australian Cattle Industry Council, described the draft constitution as undemocratic and financially unsound.

If adopted, it would continue the period of weak advocacy experienced over the past decade, he said.

"Levy payers will have no say in how their levies will be spent on research and development and marketing," he said.

"A total of $70 million a year in grassfed cattle producer levies will continue to be paid to Meat & Livestock Australia without any grassfed cattle producers having a say on where it is spent."

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