![Many Australians want to know more about red meat production - and when they do, they tend to consume more, according to MLA research. Picture by Shutterstock. Many Australians want to know more about red meat production - and when they do, they tend to consume more, according to MLA research. Picture by Shutterstock.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/86ae487c-9be8-4bdb-8962-4060fec6cdd2.jpg/r0_12_5489_3354_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Consumer insights research shows many Australians want to know more about how red meat is produced, and when given that information their confidence in the industry improves.
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Further, the more people know about beef and lamb farms, the more red meat they consume.
It's a pretty big opportunity for those at the helm of industry communications and there is some extensive work going on at Meat & Livestock Australia around telling the story.
In particular, MLA has its eye on the 30 per cent of people who are eating less red meat.
That figure hasn't shifted much in the past decade and the research says that while the dominant reason for actively reducing intake is the cost of beef and lamb, it also points to concerns and about the environment and health.
Two relatively new and innovative approaches MLA has been taking is via animations, aimed to turn complex scientific concepts into easy-to-understand messages, and by partnering with influencers.
MLA's general manager of communications Lucy Broad gave a rundown of industry communications strategies at the recent end-of-year Updates forum, held in Toowoomba.
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"When it comes to telling our story to the broader community there are some headwinds," she said.
"Our biggest collective challenge is where the narrative about the red meat industry is not always positive.
"Our communications needs to be focused on insights, on really understanding what people's concerns are and what their issues are with us."
![MLA's communications head Lucy Broad speaks at the recent Updates forum in Toowoomba. With her is managing director Jason Strong, marketing and insights boss Nathan Low and global insights head Scott Cameron. MLA's communications head Lucy Broad speaks at the recent Updates forum in Toowoomba. With her is managing director Jason Strong, marketing and insights boss Nathan Low and global insights head Scott Cameron.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/10a32b8d-06bb-41f5-bd77-20c0f1afab36.JPG/r0_400_5213_3907_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For the past 11 years, MLA has carried out community sentiment research, talking annually to around 1400 people across many age categories, locations and demographics.
"The research is detailed but, for example, we know around 30pc of people are eating red meat less often than used to, and that 57pc of those say the reason is it's too expensive, 15pc say it's because of concerns about our environmental impact and 15pc say its concerns about health," Ms Broad said.
"Overall the perceptions about our industry are very positive. Sixty per cent feel good about the production of beef and lamb in Australia.
"About 30pc are confident they know about the industry but almost half say they want to learn more about how we operate.
"When they do learn more about us, the research shows they perceive us to be more ethical and trustworthy and they agree that we care about the environment. And the best thing is, the research says the more they know about us the more red meat they consume."
MLA has developed a range of evidence-based messages in easy-to-understand bite sized formats that are also simple to share across social media platforms.
It is also working with influencers to reinforce the value of red meat in a healthy diet.
Using influencers was proving to be a very effective strategy for the industry, reaching more than five million people in the target audience of potential meat reducers, Ms Broad said.
"There were conversations where we just weren't before - we had gone missing, we were absent - but we are part of those conversations now," she said.