Producers to ‘BeefUp’ their RD&A priorities at Mt Isa

Beef producers from throughout North West Queensland and the Northern Territory’s Barkly region can help drive the future direction of levy-payer funded research, development and adoption (RD&A) programs by attending Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) BeefUp Day at Mt Isa on 19 April. 

The event is being hosted by the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC) as one of a series of MLA producer forums to seek direct input from producers to identify priority areas for RD&A.

MLA’s BeefUp days are also designed to update producers on the latest cattle R&D and provide practical, regionally-relevant information and tools. 

Other BeefUp events will be held throughout the year across northern Australia at Windorah, Nebo, Warwick, Barcaldine, Fitzroy Crossing, Tom Price, Hughenden, Katherine, Rolleston, Karumba and Beaudesert.

MLA’s General Manager – Producer Consultation and Adoption, Michael Crowley, said the Mt Isa event would include a producer consultation session, facilitated by MLA BeefUp Day coordinator Barb Bishop.

“The producer consultation session will give beef producers the opportunity to have direct input into where their levies are directed by identifying RD&A priorities that are relevant to their region,” Mr Crowley said.

“This is the third year MLA has undertaken regional consultation meetings with producers throughout Australia. The first round of consultations resulted in 18 new on-farm RD&A projects receiving MLA investment, including a project investigating alternatives to pesticides to control buffalo fly populations.”

Dan Lynch, Tara Station, Cloncurry, and chair of NABRC’s North West Queensland Regional Beef Research Committee, said it was important producers participated in the regional consultation process.

“This is an opportunity for us, as producers, to help ensure that levies are invested in programs that we feel have potential to practically improve our businesses,” Mr Lynch said.

“The BeefUp forum will also give North West Queensland and Barkly Tableland producers an opportunity to be updated on three large R&D projects that are very relevant to their region.”

Other presenters to feature at the Mt Isa BeefUp Day include:

• Desiree Jackson, Livestock Management Pty Ltd – Is your herd nutrition costing you money?
• Jarrod Lees, MLA’s Producer Engagement Officer - Tough or tender – how do you know?
• Simone Parker, Bush Agribusiness – Tools to measure your cost of production
• Niilo Gobius, NRM Spatial Hub, Geospatial Specialist – NRM Spatial Hub helping producers make better decisions
• Sally Leigo, NT Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, and Tim Driver, Precision Pastoral - Cows, grass, satellites and data

The MLA BeefUp Day starts at 9.30am at the Red Earth Hotel, Mt Isa, and morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a barbecue dinner will be provided. Cost is $20 and registration is essential by 12 April.

To register click here.