THE need for lot feeders to be involved in wider beef industry work was a key message from Australian Lot Feeeders' Association president Bryce Camm in his address to the sector's annual confernce, Smart Beef 2019, held at Dalby this week.
Continued strong global demand for high quality, affordable, consistently-supplied beef was allowing prosperity in a business facing enormous challenges, he said.
Seasonal conditions, high ration prices and other input costs, along with uncertain energy and water policy, were local issues combining with international threats.
"African Swine Fever is now some 600 kilometres from our shoreline, uncertainty around European markets and Brexist, instability in the Gulf - these are just some of what is at play that continues the change the dynamics of the global trade," Mr Camm said.
"Our sector stands willing and able to harness the opportunities presented but, like never before, it is critical to have strong organisations like ALFA acting in a advocacy roles.
"A great amount of change is occurring within the wider red meat sector. It has been a long road to delivering the next ten years' strategic plan and that document is about to be signed off."
And ALFA, like numerous livestock organisations, is now working through its response to recommendations made in the process of reviewing the Red Meat Memorandum of Understanding.
"Plenty of people are willing to throw stones at this process," Mr Camm said.
"It is very easy to say something is not possible or to criticise structure. Conversely, it's much harder to build consensus and create a plan that is representative and meets the needs of a complex industry and community expectations going forward.
"Everyone should engage in the process."
Mr Camm said quarter-on-quarter record numbers on feed and capacity growth through challenging times speaks volumes to the strength and value of the lot feeding sector.
A key theme throughout the conference, which continues today, has been meeting community expectations and selling the industry's story globally and domestically. Mr Camm described both as 'vitally important' to the future of lot feeding in Australia.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
