Australian lamb exports celebrated as MLA Lambassador week closes

Nineteen world-renowned chefs from 15 countries travelled throughout Victoria this week, in an event run by Meat & Livestock Australia to build international partnerships and generate interest in one of the state's best export products.

MLA international business manager Joshua Anderson said as a result of the program, there wasn't a corner of the globe that MLA didn't have a passionate Lambassador to support Australian lamb.

"We are so proud to have such a passionate and high-calibre global network of chefs representing our great industry," Mr Anderson said.

Victorian Government Parliamentary Secretary of Agriculture Michaela Settle said the the most important element of the program was the international Lambassador guests who would take home the joy of Australian lamb.

"Victoria's farmers and agricultural producers grow and make some of the most delicious high-quality foods in the world, and of course, our premium, naturally-grown grassfed lamb," Ms Settle said.

"Victoria is the nation's largest food and fibre exporter, accounting for 26 per cent of the value of Australian food and fibre exports during the 2021-22 [financial year].

"In the same financial year, meat was the second-most valuable food and fibre export from Victoria valued at $4.3 billion."

The Lambassador program is supported by Agriculture Victoria and Global Victoria and Ms Settle said the government would continue to support Victoria's growth and diversification of premium red meat exports.

READ MORE:

MLA managing director Jason Strong explained the importance in strengthening international relationships through meat exports as it had become an incredibly-important component of Australia's supply chain.

"This focus on producing the highest-quality, highest-value, in-demand product to consumers around the world is something that we're incredibly proud of, to the point now where our exports are 75pc of Australia's total lamb production," Mr Strong said.

"The Lambassadors this week have had this wonderful opportunity to experience firsthand, not only the supply chain and some of the Australian experiences, but also to see products, to see where it comes from, to see where it starts, how it flows through the system and also work together on the opportunities that can be developed and then taken advantage of in international markets.

"It's a great demonstration of how we can build partnerships between multiple players across the supply chain to support our industry and help it grow not just here but also internationally.

"I think most importantly what we're able to demonstrate to the Lambassador program is the ability to build networks to empower each other, to be better, produce a better product, be more sustainable, more productive, more profitable to produce a high-quality and more consistent product.

"But then actually take it and turn it into better, more in-demand menu items around the world that we can then deliver to some of the most demanding consumers."