Social value of saleyards report released by the Australian Livestock Markets Association

This research, the first of its kind undertaken in Australia according to ALMA, includes the views, stories and experiences of more than 250 people across the country.

ALMA executive officer Kate McGilvray said that it was important to quantify the social side of the industry and the important role saleyards play.

Ms McGilvray said it was important to create a resource to show the often unseen social value of the saleyards experience.

"It is important to be able to provide a resource for industry and government decision makers which shows the value saleyards bring to rural communities," she said.

"From a strategic planning perspective, economic value is really important and measurable, but social benefits within saleyards are a key factor."

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Ms McGilvray said while quantifiable data on the financial value of saleyards was available, without concrete research it had been difficult to show government and industry bodies the non-economic value of livestock exchanges.

"We always knew the social aspect of the yards was important, but we didn't know how important," she said.

The Social Value of Saleyards report released in Dubbo, NSW, outlined national trends and provided context from an Australia-wide perspective.

Ballarat's Central Victoria Livestock Exchange and Warrnambool's South-West Victoria Livestock Exchange both contributed to the study.

Ms McGilvray said a sense of belonging and connection with the community around the saleyards was felt more strongly in Victoria compared to other states.

Victorian participants also experienced a level of informal support that assisted their wellbeing which was higher than the national average.

"When you are at the saleyards, it is genuine, it is happiness, it is interaction, it is engagement connecting with your fellow people," one Victorian person surveyed for the report said.

Saleyard operators who spoke to Stock & Land widely welcomed the findings of the report.

NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside, who works in rural crime prevention, welcomed the research and said saleyards provided a key point of positive social interaction with livestock industries.

He said maintaining good engagement with communities was critical for lowering crime and increasing the level of social engagement at saleyards.

He said saleyard canteens enabled police to engage with community.

Martin Simmons, Dubbo Agents Association, said that over the past 2 years he had seen first hand the results that this report found.

Mr Simmons that COVID restrictions on attendance highlighted the social value of saleyards.

"There were a lot of people very concerned that they were unable to attend the sale," he said.

"People do use saleyards as a social gathering place."