From the CEO’s Desk — Reflections from the World Meat Congress

Last month I had the opportunity to attend the World Meat Congress alongside industry leaders, policy makers and supply-chain experts from across the globe. It was a valuable opportunity to reconnect with global colleagues, including counterparts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand, to share insights and compare emerging challenges and opportunities across our sectors. It was also a timely reminder of just how quickly the international trading environment is shifting - and how important it is that Australia stays ahead of the curve.

A clear theme across the Congress was fragmentation. The post-war trade architecture we’ve all relied upon is under real pressure, with major economies moving towards more protectionist, security-driven trade policies. This is reshaping global supply chains, altering traditional trade flows, and creating both risks and opportunities for countries like Australia. For sheepmeat, growth is increasingly coming from developing regions where incomes and demand for high-quality protein continue to rise.

There was also strong focus on sustainability, measurement frameworks and the future of emissions accounting for livestock. Leading academics and producers stressed that current carbon metrics often fail to capture the full picture - particularly the role of land, sequestration and nutrient density. The message was clear: as an industry we must continue to push for fair, science-based methods that reflect the complexity and circularity of real production systems.

On animal health and welfare, the EU outlined significant reforms it will implement from this year in line with its new Vision for Agriculture and Food, including gradually phasing out and eventually banning the use of cages for certain animals, banning the culling of day-old chicks, and updating rules for animal transport. The Congress also heard that as part of its reform of animal welfare legislation the EU is looking to streamline compliance and enforcement by introducing welfare outcome-based approaches, integration of animal welfare indicators and using digital technology for monitoring and enforcement.

Importantly, this EU Vision stresses the need for a ‘fairer global playing field’. The European Commission outlined that it will pursue, in line with international trade rules, a stronger alignment of animal-welfare standards applied to imported animals and food to ensure that trade reflects shared values and understanding of animal welfare. While still evolving, this direction suggests the possibility of higher regulatory expectations, which may have implications for exporters supplying into the EU.

Consumer trends were another hot topic. While global meat consumption is still growing, the nature of demand is shifting - more convenience, more diversity, and more scrutiny of value for money. Cultivated meat remains a niche, energy-intensive proposition, unlikely to be a major competitor in the short to medium term, but one to watch as regulatory frameworks evolve.

Across every conversation, one message resonated: resilient supply chains, strong productivity and trusted production systems will determine who succeeds in an increasingly contested global market. Australia’s sheepmeat sector is well placed - yet maintaining our competitiveness will require continued investment, strong advocacy, and a clear national strategy.  The Sheep Producers Australia-led Green Sheep Project will play an important role in this effort, supporting producers and the supply chain to adapt to evolving global customer and market expectations.

SPA will continue to ensure Australian producers are positioned for success in this changing landscape, and the insights from the Congress will feed directly into our work through The Future Flock and our broader policy agenda.