The growing momentum of the Meat Standards Australia grading program continued in 2009-10, with the majority of beef processors applying MSA as the minimum standard to underpin the eating quality of some or all of their brands.
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According to Meat and Livestock Australia, MSA beef grading numbers reached 1.25 million head – an increase of 27 per cent on last year.
And in only its second full year of processing, MSA lamb numbers more than doubled to 508,000 head.
MLA says South Australia had the largest more than 94,000 cattle graded.
MSA manager Michael Crowley said the addition of a number of new processing plants to the list of MSA licensees, together with the growth of existing brands underpinned by the program, had led to the increased grading numbers across the program.
"The MSA lamb program has experienced a strong start with numbers up significantly on the first year and expected to grow exponentially during 2010-11," he said.
"In 2010-11 we expect over 1m lambs to be processed through the MSA program. There will be a very strong focus on delivering the eating quality outcomes through branding strategies into the trade leading to pull through demand from retail and food service.
"The beef program has reached the point where it is utilised by the majority of processors and MSA is now increasingly accepted as the standard for eating quality.
"The total volume of beef graded is expected to grow by another 20pc in 2010-11 on the basis of two key drivers: existing participants aiming to increase volumes of branded product underpinned by MSA on the market; and new plants recently signing on to the program and planning to launch their own brands."
Mr Crowley said plans for the program in 2010-11 include hosting 90 MLA Edge Network workshops for both beef and lamb producers around the country.
The workshops discuss the principles of the MSA program and how to best prepare livestock for compliance to MSA specifications, which earn premiums averaging $0.15c/kg for beef.
About 16,000 Australian beef and sheep producers are now registered MSA suppliers, with an average of 90pc of cattle presented for grading meeting MSA specifications.
There are 39 certified MSA beef processing plants across Australia and seven certified MSA lamb processing plants in NSW, Victoria and WA.
