MLA committed to further action on ACCC recommendations

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) will continue to support improvements in transparency and competitiveness within the red meat industry by further enhancing its market reporting and prioritising objective carcase measurement technology.

MLA Managing Director Richard Norton made the commitment following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) release of its ‘Cattle and beef market study’ final report.

Mr Norton said MLA would work through those recommendations that were within its remit in consultation with industry, noting the ACCC’s view the Red Meat Advisory Council should be responsible for overseeing their implementation and monitoring compliance.

“The ACCC has provided a range of recommendations for the industry’s attention and acknowledges progress to date, however the report makes its clear there is more to do,” Mr Norton said.

Amongst its 15 recommendations, the ACCC report welcomes improvements made by MLA to its market information services and notes that MLA’s ability to continue to improve its reporting will depend on the information provided to it by live exporters, processors and retailers.

The ACCC report also welcomes the moves made by MLA to introduce objective carcase measurement technology throughout the industry, and supports MLA’s proposal that the data it produces should be shared for the benefit of the industry.

“As a service provider to red meat and livestock producers, MLA is committed to working with industry to continuously improve our market reporting and insights services to provide the most comprehensive, timely and professional information,” Mr Norton said.

“The importance of improved information was recognised in the Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2020 and is a key support for the shift to value based marketing.

“The recently upgraded Prices & Markets section of MLA’s website now offers a greater variety of market information. This is in response to producers’ appetite for easier access to information and the opportunity to carry out simple, yet in-depth analysis of that data.

“Our peak industry councils are currently also considering MLA’s proposal to fast track the adoption of DEXA objective carcase measurement technology across the red meat industry.

“That initiative would pave the way for scientific measurement of saleable meat yield, future value based marketing and industry-wide productivity gains through processing automation, genetic improvement and data-based on-farm decision making.”

• To access MLA’s new prices and market reporting service click here
• To find out more about MLA’s proposal to fast-track OCM technology, click here