IN BRIEF Focus Business as usual on cattle following RedMeaMoUt stress White Paperrelease levels Following the release of the Red Meat Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) White Paper, Managing Director Jason Strong said it’s business as usual for MLA. When beef The White Paper release, which established 20 years ago and that supply chains included a number of recommendationsit was important to ensure relevant are managed for the future structure of Australia’ssystems and structures are in place to well, cattle red meat industry, represents the be successful in the future. stress levels remain latest step in the review of the RedMLA has been actively engaged in low‑to‑moderate from the Meat MoU and is the culmination of 12the consultation process, and has time of induction at a feedlot months’ work. consistently advocated for a revitalised in the grainfed production While it marks the end of the red meat industry that is fit to meet both system to slaughter, and can review process, the wide‑ranging the challenges and opportunities today be lower at slaughter than at recommendations will now undergo and in the future. time of induction. a period of careful consideration by“Given its age, there’s consensus across industry and Government, with any the industry that the current MoU is That’s according to results progression of reform requiring the of a recently released study support of all nine signatories to theoutdated. It’s therefore important that designed to provide a better MoU, which includes MLA. industry structures are reviewed to understanding of physiological ensure they help position the industry to indicators of stress in cattle Jason said the next steps for MLA succeed in a dynamic and challenging during handling and in would involve working closely operating environment,” Jason said. new environments. with Government and industry “The changing operating environment partners to review and assess the has been a key focus for MLA – in Supported by MLA Donor recommendations. Company (MDC) in collaboration particular how to continue to drive with Australian Meat Processor “To be clear, MLA supports reform thatglobal demand for red meat, build Corporation (AMPC), Harvey is in the best interests of red meaton‑farm productivity and deliver value Beef and Murdoch University, producers, however we believe careful throughout the supply chain.” the research assessed stress consideration of the recommendationsThe recommendations levels at different time points will be the key to ensuring that occurs,” from feedlot induction through toJason said. • The White Paper recommendations slaughter, as well as the impact include the establishment of three “Together with industry agreement, new unified industry bodies. of temperament on stress and any variation to the current carcase quality. • Red Meat Australia, with an structure will also require significantindependent chair and a board drawn MDC Business Development legislative change. from the peak industry councils Manager, Josh Whelan, said the “All this will take time so for now it’sand up to three new independent research assessed and quantified business as usual for MLA. We’ll be skills‑based representatives, would data relating to the impacts getting on with the task of deliveringbe the single voice of the industry of handling and temperament our extensive range of programs, whichand the conduit for levies collected, on cattle production and will see over $270 million invested as well as be responsible for industry performance. on behalf of livestock levy payers, public policy and marketing. “Identifying specific times at whichprocessors and live exporters during• Red meat Research and Development cattle are stressed will allow forthe next 12 months. This investment Corporations and Service Providers targeted management of these includes levies, matched research – MLA, LiveCorp and Australian Meat animals to proactively reduce thatfunding from the Federal Government Processing Corporation (AMPC) – stress,” Josh said. ■ andexternal commercial investment.” would be merged into one single The review process research body. Existing integrity and Download the report at The MoU review was instigated quality systems would also be merged mla.com.au/cattle-stress- in recognition that no significant into a new Industry Standards body. ■ report. changes within the red meat industry had occurred since the MoU was rmac.com.au/mou 4