LIVE EXPORT supply chains with integrity and regulation that is both effective and efficient is what cattle producers are seeking.
This summarises where peak grass-fed representative group Cattle Council of Australia stands on the regulation cost recovery negotiations currently underway between the federal government and live export industry.
CCA says given the dependence on the live export trade by so many producers, it was critical any dialogue around those negotiations was constructive.
The organisation's president Markus Rathsmann, a Northern Territory producer who supplies live cattle to South East Asian markets, said it was a fundamental fact that regulation was passed onto the producer - not just in the live-ex industry but in all red meat exports.
Producers accepted that. They were accustomed to paying their way.
"But at the end of the day, cattle producers in the north depend on live export. We don't have alternatives. So we have to get this right," Mr Rathsmann said.
Producers have to work with the agriculture department and the minister on this, and other, issues, he said.
Therefore, CCA saw it as unfortunate that grievances had been aired publicly.
He said there was no question producers would be best served by a supply chain that doesn't 'leak', has a culture of immediate self-reporting and is underpinned by a competent regulator.
So while it was recognised that live exporters operated in a very competitive environment and increased regulation would have an effect on that, producers also recognised a significant portion of the new regulation and reforms had been for transparency and public interest benefits.
"These measures have helped to build public confidence in the live export sector," Mr Rathsmann said.
"In 2019, the live sheep trade was under threat of closure by an expected Labor Government that committed to ending live sheep exports. Still feeling the impact of the live export ban of 2011, many cattle producers were left asking if they would be next in line.
"Since 2011, the industry has been well aware the responsibility does not end at the farmgate.
"I depend on live export, as does everyone in the north. We simply have to get this right."
He also made the point that live-ex was not a northern cattle issue.
There was a valuable trade out of the south too - 120,000 southern dairy heifers went to China last year, for example.
Further, it was a sector that helped underpin the entire cattle market.
Judged
Mr Rathsmann said the live-ex industry was judged by the weakest link, even though the majority of exporters do the right thing.
Poor performance by one operator on a single voyage brings all live exporters into disrepute and leads to increased regulation, he said.
CCA said it was awaiting further details on the path to cost recovery but emphasised cost efficiencies needed to be explored as part of any assessment of effective regulation.
Mr Rathsmann said producers felt the most effective regulation could not happen from services being centralised in Canberra - that regulators needed to be in live-ex ports.
The Moss Review, which came in the aftermath of the Awassi live sheep incident, highlighted regulatory operations had been centralised in Canberra, he said.
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