Review of Options to Reduce Feedstuff Supply Variability in Australia

Summary

This study examines options available to livestock end users to reduce the impact of recurrent feedstuff supply shortages in Australia. Feedgrains fulfil the majority intensive livestock industries feedstuff requirements. The amount of feedgrain available to industry is dependent upon a number of factors including climatic variability, export commitments and increasing domestic demand not only by the intensive livestock industry but also by other grain users. These factors contribute to recurrent periods of acute regional feedgrain shortages and lead to grain price instability.

The opportunity to increase the domestic availability of feedgrains is curtailed by current quarantine policies, which prohibit the importation of untreated feedgrain for inland usage. The bulk of feedgrain demand is from livestock industries located in inland regions. The only supply side option for feedgrain dependent users under current quarantine policies is the approved treatment of imported grains to ensure that pest/disease/weed infestation potential is reduced to levels approved by quarantine authorities (Biosecurity Australia).