Victoria Supports Live Export Trade

AUSTRALIA - The Victorian Farmers Federation has backed the live export trade, arguing it’s a crucial to the nation and many developing countries that lack the cold-chain distribution networks needed to store meat.
calendar icon 9 October 2012
clock icon 2 minute read

Live exports are a vital source of protein for the people of many countries and a source of genetic stock to improve their self-sufficiency in animal production.

“As well as being important to the livelihoods of many Australian farming families the live trade delivers meat to nations that would struggle to buy, store and distribute beef or mutton from Australia,” VFF Livestock President Ian Feldtmann said “It must be recognised that many countries taking Australian livestock are not as developed and do not have the supply chain infrastructure to safely manage chilled meat from Australian abattoirs.

“The live export trade is worth approximately $1 billion to the Australian economy, and is a significant contributor to regional economies.”

“Of importance to Victoria in particular, the live trade of meat sheep is worth approximately $320 million, which is about 10 per cent of all trade for this sector of the industry.

Mr Feldtmann said Australia maintained some the highest animal welfare standards in the world.

“Forcing Australia out of the live trade would be counter-productive, cutting off a valuable source of protein to the world and undermining attempts to improve animal welfare standards in these developing nations.”

“Australia remains the only country in the world investing in animal welfare beyond its borders for livestock exports.

“Australia developed the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) in 2012, which demands our exporters supply evidence that livestock will be handled in accordance with internationally accepted World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards.

“Every live animal exporter must gain ESCAs accreditation from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). “We fully support ESCAS and expect it to continue to provide the frame work for the live export trade. “We also support the tireless efforts of the Sheepmeat Council of Australia and Cattle Council Australia to protect our interests in the live export trade.”

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