THE Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council notes the suspension on Wednesday night of EMS Rural Exports’ livestock export licence by the industry regulator, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Advice given to the exporter is that the licence will remain suspended pending a full DAWR review.
The company has committed to cooperate fully with this review.
While the regulator completes that process, ALEC is unable to provide any commentary on the suspension nor the review.
DAWR has the sole responsibility relating to licensing and export permits and, as such, ALEC has no role in these regulatory areas.
ALEC shares the firm belief of the National Farmers Federation, Sheep Producers Australia and Western Australian producers that animal welfare needs to be the highest priority at all times throughout the supply chain.
ALEC notes the sheep which were approved for export on the Al Shuwaikh remain in good health at a pre-export quarantine property south of Perth under veterinary supervision.
ALEC supports the Federal Government’s commitment to producers and our importer customers to continue Australia’s sheep export trade while new shipping standards are applied, as per the recommendations of the McCarthy Review.
It is now less than six weeks until Eid al Adha (The Festival of the Sacrifice), an important religious period in the Middle East when cultural traditions drive a spike in demand for Australian sheep for local slaughter. With this in mind, it is vital for those working in the rural sector, including producers and associated industry employees, as well as our customers overseas, that the short-term and long-term future of the trade is secured.
