In my 26 years at the Stock & Land markets desk, I don’t believe I have ever seen so much hostile debate focused on the sheep meat industry.
Three big issues – all emotive – and all potential to have an impact on producers’ financial returns.
The first, and ironically perhaps the least emotive, was the final stage roll-out of the eID ear-tag scanning, which became mandatory in Victorian saleyards and at property to property sales.
This final stage-three phase, which was greeted with a large degree of hostility when initially announced, sailed through surprisingly stress-free last week at all selling centres compelled by regulation.
Stock & Land spoke with the department’s designated custodians for implementing the eID rollout across Victoria, Warren Straw and Ben Faye, at Bendigo and Wycheproof saleyards on Monday and Friday respectively.
Both were highly complimentary of the agents and indeed the saleyards at all centres involved as to their willingness to embrace the task.
The second issue confronting the sheep industry this week was the debate on dentition, which will impact on carcase value as lambs passing into hogget stage of life.
Like most good debates this issue seems to have heard the loudest voices from those who it will least affect – from producers who use the prime lamb industry as an opportunity by-product.
If preserving quality is the main aim of the proposed change, then perhaps the status quo should remain for the younger Australia as a nation keeps our definition of lamb the better it should be seen as a quality product on the world market.
However, if the reasons are purely economic, then the longer the production industry can keep our livestock with the definition of lamb, the longer it will retain value.
And last but not least, the emotive debate on live sheep export.
What the Australian community, sheep producers and supporters of the live export industry saw on television this week was disgustingly abhorrent, distasteful and totally unacceptable.
The questions I have to ask this week is that if this disaster occurred almost six months ago, how is it that the controlling bodies and indeed the government had few convincing answers for the marauding media?
Producers have supplied this legal industry for more than 40 years, and importing countries require this product for a host of cultural, religious and convenience reasons.
Do we deny these people the opportunity to prepare and trade this product in a caring and mindful environment?
Or do we properly investigate the problems, cut out the cancers and remedy improved and better solutions for all?