Declaration gains marketing edge

MLA officials said Australian grain growers have significant input into the nation’s livestock industries directly and indirectly as suppliers of grain and fodder.

Recent boosts to Australia’s beef and sheepmeat export markets will see this mutually-beneficial relationship between the two industries continue to flourish.

Wet harvest conditions across much of the eastern states and dry conditions in the west are combining with strong lamb prices to see increased markets for damaged grain and increased demand for feedgrain and fodder this summer.

According to Duncan Bruce-Smith, Project Manager, On Farm Assurance with Meat and Livestock Australia growers who supply CVDs with their grain could have the edge on those who don’t make the effort.

“Any grower who keeps basic on-farm records throughout the growing season will find supplying a CVD with their grain a simple and fast process,” Mr Bruce-Smith said.

“Increasingly, high-volume grain buyers, such as feedlots and piggeries are requesting quality-assured grain as part of their overall quality assurance program.”

“And grain growers who can readily offer parcels of grain, complete with a CVD will receive preferred access to these markets.”

CVDs are available as an electronic program, free to download from the internet.

Growers already using the electronic National Vendor Declaration and Waybill computer program (eDEC) can use their existing login details for the electronic CVD.

“These declarations provide grain growers and feed suppliers with an easy-to-use risk management tool to reduce the risk of meat contamination from stock feeds that may contain residues from chemical treatments associated with the production or storage of livestock feed,” Mr Bruce-Smith said.