Research and development is vital to the ongoing profitability, sustainability and success of the Australian sheepmeat industry.

 

We are fortunate in Australia that there is an ongoing commitment to invest in research and development, funded by the levies sheep producers pay , which are matched by the Australian government. Approximately $30-$40M are spent on research and development every year.

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Research and development priorities are identified via a ten-year industry plan for the red meat sector, currentlyRedMeat2030. Research and development program areas include animal health and welfare, environmental sustainability, livestock production, land management, biosecurity and product innovation.

Genetics and animal husbandry have a particular focus due to their potential to increase industry productivity and profitability, for example by encouraging traits that make sheep more resilient to health and disease issues and improving reproduction and lamb survival rates.

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Ensuring nationally and regionally relevant research, development and adoption priorities are identified and funded for the sheep industry is one of Sheep Producer Australia's key priorities:

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• We oversee levy investment on behalf of sheep producers and advise the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on the levy rate and its distribution.

• We contribute to the development of a ten-year industry plan and work with MLA to refine their annual research and development implementation plan.

•  We monitor the spending of producer levies, ensuring all R&D investments are aligned and deliver the greatest return possible for sheep producers.

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As a member of the Red Meat Panel, Sheep Producers Australia works with regional representatives to call for and agree on investment priorities identified by grassroots producers for funding with producer levies. More than $50 million worth of projects have been funded by MLA through this process.