RED MEAT 2018 SPECIAL FEATURE New directors Forums tackle for MLA red meat’s big issues M LA’s Annual General Meeting was held during Red Meat 2018 and members voted on the election of two Red Meat 2018 offered forums to new directors, both first time directors. They are: provide cutting-edge insights and • Professor Manny Noakes – an expert in many fields of nutrition generate discussion around the and health including the food regulatory system and functional foodindustry’s big opportunities and challenges. substantiation, with an in depth knowledge of the role of red meat in TheGlobal Markets Forum saw MLA’s team human nutrition, received 88% votes in favour. of market experts and some of Australia’s • Jo Pye – an expert in large scale customer engagement, marketinginternational customers unpack how Australia and strategy within the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industryis staying ahead of our competitors by (with a focus on food and beverage), received 91% votes in favour.understanding changing consumer demand. MLA members also voted on the election of one cattle producer Producers and stakeholders heard the overall representative to the MLA Board Selection Committee. outlook for export beef and sheepmeat is The successful cattle producer representative was: positive with demand forecast to grow, and how MLA is working with the Australian • Mick Hewitt as the grassfed cattle representative Government to maximise these opportunities The role of the Selection Committee is to call for applications, review,by improving market access. interview and then report to members on the suitability of candidates forInnovators changing their businesses with election to the MLA Board. newtechnologies took centre stage at MLA Chair Dr Michele Allan provided the AGM with an overview of the theTransformation Forum, aptly-titled ‘Transformation is coming…is your industry over the past 12 months. business ready?’. “With many of the Australian red meat and livestock industry’s key supplyA panel of eight – from producers through regions in the grip of drought, 2018 was a challenging year for many ofto processors and customers – discussed MLA’s producer stakeholders,” Dr Allan said. innovations underway and what further “Seasonal conditions will always have implications for national herd size,changes were needed to ensure slaughter numbers, supply chain profitability, export volumes, domesticproduction systems better meet or exceed pricing and consumption – but it’s a continuing testament to our consumer expectations. industry’s resilience that these impacts do not alter its overall progress.The use of autonomous solutions, objective “In 2017–18 MLA has worked exceptionally hard to support our producers’measurement, genetics, efficiency efforts by keeping Australian beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat at the improvements and value-adding were among forefront of consumers’ minds in what has become an increasingly the key topics discussed. competitive global market.” ■ Synthetic ‘meat’, carbon minimisation, drought policy and thefuture for live exports were mla.com.au discussed atthe Sustainability Forum, held as a paneldiscussion and Q&A session. Panellists representing all sectors in the supply chain shared their views on issues centred on the theme ‘What can we do to support a thriving red meat industry to 2030 and beyond?’, The two-dayDigital Forum, ‘From the hype to the happening’, allowed producers and stakeholders to cut through the hype around digital technology and see how it’s actually being used. The forum included a half-day field day at Carwoola Pastoral Company, a 2,000 ha mixed enterprise, where MLA and 20 solution providers have installed a range of digital tools that are now being tested as part of a MLA Chair Dr Michele Allan (centre) with new directors Jo Pye (left)MLA project (see story page 5). ■ and Professor Manny Noakes 4