Federal Ag Minister: “broad alignment” between government and industry

Jacob Betros (MLA), Murray Watt (Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), Mark Davie (ABSF Chair), and Alastair James (RMAC).

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, has commended the foresight of the beef industry in establishing the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) and acknowledged there is now “broad alignment” between the industry’s goals and government policy.

Speaking at the launch of the ABSF Annual Update at Beef 2024, Mr Watt cited an example of the importance of the ABSF on the global stage, from ANUGA, Europe’s largest and most important food fair held every two years in Germany.

Australia’s largest beef customer in Japan asked Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) how Australian red meat could help them to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and said they would be asking Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and other suppliers the same question.

“MLA were able to talk in detail about our Australian Beef Sustainability Framework and how the industry has set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030,” Mr Watt said.

“So, developing and implementing the ABSF was incredibly important and will only continue to be more so.”

At the same time, the Minister acknowledged the uncertainty and confusion arising from the European Union’s policy on deforestation-free red meat supply chains, scheduled to come into effect in December this year.

He said he had written to the EU Commissioner for the Environment outlining Australia’s concerns with the potential impact on trade from this regulation and asked that it be delayed until all requirements are fully understood.

Mr Watt touched on progress in several key areas of the ABSF, including:

• Best animal care - The government is progressing with its $5 million commitment over four years to renew the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. This will encompass all animals and be delivered in “chapters” across six animal groups, beginning with production animals. The final strategy is expected to be published by mid-2027 and the Minister urged producers to have their say.
• Economic resilience – The Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund for innovation and practice change programs aims to assist farmers and rural communities to be better prepared for future droughts.
• Environmental stewardship – The Minister praised the “great work” the beef sector had done towards CN30. A discussion paper released last year on The Agriculture and Land Sector Decarbonisation Plan – one of six government plans that will guide the Australian economy to reach a target of net zero by 2050 – received more than 230 written submissions.
• Environmental stewardship – As part of the Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program, the $13 million Small Grants opportunity was opened in April. The grants will support on-ground projects that empower the agriculture sector to adopt practices to improve management of natural resources, increase sustainable on-farm productivity, and foster resilience to climate change.
• People and community – Government has supported a third year of the National Farmers Federation’s AgCAREERSTART pilot program which has placed a record 72 young people on farms this year, more than half on cattle properties. Work is continuing through the Agriculture Workforce Forum to ensure agriculture is a core consideration in any government decision-making on access to labour. Initiatives have included fee-free TAFE courses for agriculture, the Food Supply Chain Capacity Study, the Ag Trade Apprenticeship Project, and the Migration Review.
  
  

Mr Watt said he looked forward to hearing more about the ABSF’s progress and stressed the importance of government and the beef industry working together to advance sustainability objectives.