Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) virtual reality Paddock to Plate Story will hit the road to showcase Australia’s red meat production systems to schools and local communities across Australia.
The Australian Good Meat Paddock to Plate Story roadshow will start the tour at the Royal Adelaide Show and then, in partnership with Think Digital, commence a three-month journey through South Australia, Victoria, ACT and NSW.
The immersive 360-degree virtual reality video informs consumers by telling them the story of Australian beef production.
MLA community programs communications manager Fiona Young said the roadshow will allow MLA to reach thousands more Australians with a fully-immersive and engaging resource about Australia’s red meat production system.
“Visitors will be given the unique opportunity to put on a VR headset and experience beef production in a truly unique way, and all from the comfort of our coach, including on a cattle farm, transportation, feedlot, processing facility and with end markets such as restaurants,” Ms Young said.
“Recent research from MLA shows that only about one in five meat eaters have a good understanding of the Australian beef and lamb industry, and there are now almost 20 per cent fewer Australians from urban centres visiting cattle or sheep farms annually compared to eight years ago.”
However, the same research reveals consumers’ appetite to learn more about food production, with more than 50pc interested in how Australian farmers produce beef and lamb.
“Immersive resources such as the Australian Good Meat Paddock to Plate Story help inform consumers by addressing their growing interest in sustainability, meat quality, traceability and animal welfare practices within our industry,” she said.
“This unique experience puts students and consumers at the centre of the production journey, as well as showcasing our dedicated and passionate Australian beef producers.”
Ms Young said the Australian Good Meat Paddock to Plate Story received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants when it recently featured at the Ekka in Brisbane for the second year, with over 3000 people experiencing the virtual journey across the supply chain.
