Australia needs its live cattle export customers to speak up about the value of the trade to their food security and livelihoods against a backdrop of minority groups calling for it to be banned.
This is the thinking of some longer-serving northern live-ex suppliers, who say that while there is a need to keep the anti live-ex campaigning in perspective, it can't be ignored.
The livestock export trade has been in the mainstream spotlight in a heavy way of late, between RSPCA freedom of information requests for independent observer footage and big cattle losses incurred on a voyage from Darwin.
Despite the deaths likely being the result of botulism, which means the fact they were on a boat played no role, activists and some politicians have used it to ramp up calls for live cattle exporting to be shut alongside the Albanese Government's planned phase-out of the live sheep trade.
Mainstream media described the incident as "the latest blow for a sector which is striving to prove its credibility."
Shifting global attitudes
Running parallel has been an increased intensity of overseas campaigns against the live export of cattle and sheep in places like Europe, Israel and the United States.
More and more of this campaign material is now finding its way into the social media feeds of producers in Australia, raising concerns about the implications to both Australia's live-ex trade and the wider beef industry.
In December, the United Kingdom introduced legislation to ban live animal exports for slaughter or fattening and the pressure is red hot for Europe to follow that lead.
Also in December, cattle carcases washed up on France's northwestern coast, presumed to be from live export ships, sparking 'investigations' by both animal rights groups and media which then published claims with headings like "An industry built on misery".
Many of the organisations campaigning for an end to global live animal exports feature Australia at the top of their websites as a key target due to it being one of the largest live export by sea suppliers.
The message is often that the Australian Government is banning the live sheep trade, it shouldn't take much campaigning to see that extended to cattle.
Episode 3 analyst Matt Dalgleish, who has conducted extensive research on the value of the live export trade, said it was highly unlikely any of this campaigning would result in any collateral damage in relation to demand for Australian beef globally.
"This is coming from an extreme fringe element and for them to convert the average beef eater would be a very big leap," he said.
"It is a clear agenda that not only includes banning live exports but the end game is no consumption of animal products and that is not something that will ever gain widespread support.
"And it is certainly not something that would be listened to when it comes to how a country is treated in trade negotiations.
"The thing to keep in mind is the capacity to have a different moral set comes into this. That is, the less worried you are about food security, the more you have the luxury of taking what you perceive to be a higher moral ground."
Food security matters
Most of the world remains more concerned about food security.
Northern Queensland beef producer Don Heatley, a former Meat & Livestock Australia chairman, has watched how anti live-ex campaigns have played out for years.
He believes there would be huge value in commentary from Australia's live export markets about what the trade means to them.
"The food security, the the jobs it provides in their country, the feedlots that keep entire families and communities afloat in Indonesia - this is what will resonate with average people in the face of the negative picture some groups are painting of our industry," he said.
Many community sentiment experts agree, saying science, facts and statistics may be on the industry's side but much of this issue is about emotion.
"If you look at pure statistics of transport mortalities - on water they are exceptionally lower than on land," Mr Heatley said.
"That's a fact but for most people uninvolved in agriculture it doesn't really mean much.
"One of our biggest frustrations has always been there is this crazy notion that we can just shut this trade down and process all our animals at home.
"There is no alternative market for all those livestock. And if you take live-ex out of northern Australia, there is no alternative industry that works."
Again, that is something that is very complex to explain to Joe Public and, frankly, doesn't really interest wider society.
But insight into how the trade keeps people going in other parts of the world would, Mr Heatley believes.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
