The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) is urging Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) levy payers to not throw the baby out with the bath water in response to a motion to wind up the company at its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 17th November.
ALFA President Jim Cudmore stated that “whilst times are tough, MLA cannot be blamed for the factors that are currently negatively impacting on the industry namely high exchange rates, low cattle prices and the poor economic state of our export markets; as its activities don’t influence these areas”.
“MLA’s core activities are to improve market access, grow beef demand, increase productivity across the supply chain, promote industry integrity and sustainability; and increase industry and people capability”.
“On the market access front, beef exports have increased by 8.3% since MLA’s inception and five Free Trade Agreements among individual countries and regions have been signed over the same period”.
“The recent EU grain fed high quality beef quota similarly holds great potential to increase exports over coming years”.
“Whilst beef demand has remained stagnant in our domestic and key export markets, others are showing significant potential such as South East Asia, the Middle East and Russia”.
“Demonstrating the benefits of MLA’s research and development efforts, beef productivity levels have improved on a carcase weight equivalent basis since 1998 whilst MLA’s efforts to proactively articulate beef producers’ environmental credentials will only benefit us down the track”.
“Improving industry and people capability is an ongoing challenge which we all have a responsibility”.
“Whilst producers can quite rightly demand that their hard earned levy dollars deliver in these core business areas, we must be realistic in our expectations”.
“Our role as levy payers is to be engaged in our future, provide direction to our service providers and overwhelmingly ensure that we continue to play our part in the development of systems and programs that increase the potential for Australian beef producers to be profitable over time”.
“MLA, as our service company, must in turn maintain industry consultation, provide good value for our levy dollar and ensure that like our businesses, costs are kept in check and outcomes upheld as a priority”.
“MLA is not perfect but don’t throw the baby out with the bath water when voting at the upcoming MLA Annual General Meeting on the 17th November”.
