RECENT media coverage about the current boom in cattle prices underscores the ongoing significance of Australia’s beef industry in the context of the national economy.
The positive impact of the current market is providing an important economic boost in regional areas which rely heavily of the fortunes of the beef industry, including much of northern Australia.
The higher prices are also helping to buoy the spirits of those northern producers who continue to battle drought conditions.
Among those sharing in the dividends of the favourable trade balance are the thousands of businesses and families involved in the live cattle export supply chain.
Figures released earlier this month covering the 2014-2015 financial year confirm that rather than recent northern sales merely representing a temporary spike, Australia’s livestock export industry is enjoying a period of sustained growth which is delivering significant flow-on benefits to the rural sector and beyond.
The 2014-2015 trade figures showed that Australian live cattle exports reached 1.38 million head (up 22 per cent), with an overall freight-on-board value of A$1.35 billion.
Indonesia was Australia's largest live cattle export market, taking 746,193 head, up 20pc year-on-year and was valued at A$601 million FOB.
Indonesia accounted for 54pc of total Australian live cattle exports in 2014-15. Darwin was once again the largest live export port in 2014-15, shipping 615,062 head, which were valued at A$532 million FOB.
And it is not just the cattle sector monopolising the benefits. Both the live sheep and goat sectors have also seen a boost in trade and significant opportunities for growth in the future.
These positive trade results indicate that producers and exporters are being duly rewarded for their ongoing commitment to providing consistent lines of quality livestock to customers with whom strong relationships have been formed.
These relationships have been further strengthened by Australian efforts to support customers in the implementation of the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS).
Experience has proven that the best way to improve animal welfare standards in the livestock export sector is to invest in the people working with animals in the supply chain and, with this in mind, Australian exporters are doing more for animal welfare in practical terms than has ever been attempted or achieved before.
Australia has now trained more than 8000 people in animal welfare skills overseas through the Live Export Program, a significant ongoing investment which has achieved significant improvements in handling and slaughter practices.
Megaphone diplomacy may sometimes be a catalyst for change but resetting attitudes and behaviours towards animals and building practical handling and slaughter skills to improve the way animals are treated can only occur through hands-on training and infrastructure investment. This is the Australian livestock export industry’s legacy for animal welfare and that’s why exporters play such a vital active role in markets, above and beyond any primary economic imperatives.
The livestock export industry holds great significance for many people and regions of Australia, including remote areas in WA, NT and Queensland, plus many local populations overseas where Australian livestock is exported.
Over 10,000 people are employed in the industry, providing significant career opportunities for Australians living in remote areas, including indigenous people, where alternate job opportunities are limited.
Reflecting the fact that the export trade’s strength is drawn overwhelmingly from people around the world working in the livestock export trade, the industry’s upcoming national conference, LIVEXchange, will focus on the theme of ‘People, Perspectives and Relationships’.
Throughout the conference, which will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre on November 25-26, the topics discussed will highlight the people that work within the industry, the importance of each of their roles and the strong relationships built throughout the supply chain. In keeping with this theme, time at the LIVEXchange charity dinner will be set aside to announce and recognise the industry’s 2015 Young Achiever of the Year.
LIVEXchange is an opportunity for exporters, producers and other busy members of the broader livestock community to pause and consider the challenges and the successes in the industry. The conference will be important for the industry to look at its hard-earned achievements, where it has failed to meet expectations, the activities that support continual improvements in practices and opportunities to increase trade growth and market access.
What is undisputedly clear is that Australia’s livestock export trade is here to stay, built on a solid platform of sustainability and responsibility, of supplying quality livestock to a global population hungry for our product and upholding Australia’s stringent animal welfare standards.
Alison Penfold is CEO of Australian Livestock Exporters Council. The livestock export industry’s national conference, LIVEXchange, will be held in Darwin on November 25-26.
