Cattle Australia launches Land Management Commitment

Cattle Australia launches Land Management Commitment.

Monday, 16 September 2024

Cattle Australia (CA) has today launched its Land Management Commitment (LMC) strategic policy, which emphasises the primacy of agricultural land and includes definitions of deforestation and forest in the Australian context, along with four recommendations for implementation.

CA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said the LMC was a vital piece of work centred on the continued development of a national framework that grows efficient and resilient beef businesses, thriving rural communities, and protects and enhances the unique Australian environment.

“Through this work, CA has undertaken the necessary assessment of voluntary international frameworks, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the unique Australian context, to provide a clear pathway to deliver sustainable beef products to both our domestic and international customers,” Dr Parker said.

“In a modern global context where Australia is a key player in the global beef trade, exporting over $10 billion annually, the alignment of Australian definitions with global definitions to ensure equivalency is crucial.

“Globally, there is clear recognition of the importance of food production, and Australian definitions enable us to demonstrate the Australian regional context and the land management practices vital to maintaining food production, healthy landscapes and biodiversity.”

Dr Parker said the implementation of the LMC definitions and recommendations would result in more certainty for Australian beef producers as they manage agricultural land to produce high-quality beef for the world. In addition, land management practices would continue for the benefit of the environment and biodiversity, and ensure equitable market opportunities.

“The outcome of the work is a decision tree model and educational information on the routine land management practices supported by the Australian State, Territory and Federal legislation through case studies, to ensure easy implementation for producers and the wider industry.”

Key definitions

Under the LMC, deforestation is the illegal clearing of trees on land, used for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, that violates vegetation management laws and where trees exceed forest thresholds.

Agricultural land is defined as land used for the production of food and fibre, including the grazing of livestock.

Agricultural land use is demonstrated under the national Australian Land Use Management (ALUM) Classification system, with the majority of Australian grass-fed beef produced on Class 2 land type – Production from Relatively Natural Environments.

Dr Parker said Australian producers already abide by some of the strictest vegetation management laws in the world, and the LMC would complement these to ensure the beef sector, and broader agriculture, can continue demonstrating sustainability credentials to meet changing market access requirements.

“Australia has more than 136 existing vegetation laws embedded in State, Territory and Federal legislation that protects the environment and biodiversity, representative of the complexity of the 89 bioregions within the Australian landscape,” Dr Parker said.

“As custodians of more than 50 per cent of the country’s land mass, the Australian grass-fed beef industry grazes on 325 million hectares of native vegetation and over 46 million hectares of modified pastures.

“We are proud to play a part in ensuring the sustainability and prosperity of our environment for generations to come through responsible land management – a role we take extremely seriously.”

Forest is defined as an area, incorporating all living and non-living components, dominated by trees having usually a single stem and a mature or potentially mature stand height exceeding two metres, and with existing or potential crown cover of overstorey strata about equal to or greater than 20 per cent.

Forest does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural use in line with international definitions.

Dr Parker said despite the campaigns of industry detractors, the beef sector’s sustainability credentials are clear.

“Australia sits in the top 10 countries globally for protected forest area, with 36pc of Australia’s forest on land managed for conservation purposes,” he said.

“The total legal land clearing and re-clearing of native forests was 0.134pc in 2020-21, and there has been a net positive change in forest for the past 16 years since 2008. 

“Invasive plants, pests and diseases are now the number one contributor to biodiversity loss in Australia, which producers spend $5.3 billion annually managing.”

Recommendations for effective implementation

To ensure the beef industry can demonstrate its sustainability credentials to attract incentives for biodiversity, market access, and strategic growth, the LMC work has identified four key recommendations:

  1. Australian government to manage an accurate and up-to-date (updated annually) national dataset to demonstrate through satellite mapping, agricultural land use, nature and biodiversity.
  2. Ensure equivalency with international standards that support producers operating within the Australian context in maintaining market access to both domestic and international markets, and ensure technical barriers to trade are compliant with World Trade Organisation rules.
  3. Industry and government tools must be accessible to enable producers to demonstrate the benefits of the co-existence of beef production and biodiversity outcomes.
  4. Empower strategic agricultural growth through sustainable development plans that detail strategies that ensure food security, regional economies and local ecosystems are not compromised.

Dr Parker said Australian beef producers are already world leaders in environmental and biodiversity management practices.

“The LMC work has been undertaken at a time when the supply chain and financial sector are being caught under a broader trend requiring global businesses to publicly disclose the actions they are taking to promote sustainable outcomes for the planet,” Dr Parker said.

“These definitions and recommendations are simply a means to ensure we maintain our world-leading reputation and can respond to the changing market access requirements.

“The Australian beef industry plays a crucial role in addressing the world’s food security and climate challenges by exporting 70pc of our product to over 100 countries globally. It is vital this role is recognised, and the industry is supported by both the Government and the Australian people.”

Read the full Land Management Commitment strategic policy here.

ENDS

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Stacey Wordsworth
stacey.wordsworth@bluehillagency.com.au
0438 394 371

Michael Thomson
michael.thomson@bluehillagency.com.au
0408 819 666

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Garry Edwards

Managing Director and CEO, Maureen Pastoral Company

Garry was born and raised on a commercial beef cattle property south of Gloucester in New South Wales. Garry has personal cattle production interests in this region today as well as his corporate role as the Managing Director and CEO of AAM, a business that has a significant focus in continuing to expand beyond our cattle production interests in Central West NSW, near Forbes and Bective Station near Tamworth, NSW.

Garry has over 25 years’ experience in large scale livestock production management within the Australian agribusiness sector. His experience spans across a vast array of areas of the agricultural supply chain and includes managing businesses involved in livestock breeding, growing and finishing, financing of agricultural projects, implementation of precision agriculture practices, investigation and implementation of sustainability and innovation initiatives and developing and operating integrated agricultural businesses.

In 2007, Garry founded the company that today is AAM, commencing the development, operation and management of a portfolio of agricultural assets valued at $887 million and he remains the major shareholder of AAM.

Garry has a unique skill set across multiple facets of the grass-fed cattle production supply chain, from production through to finishing, as well as a unique perspective of the challenges facing all grass-fed producers within Australia through his involvement in the modernisation and development of livestock marketing facilities throughout Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

George King

Managing Director, The Whitney Pastoral Co and Manager, "Coombing Park"
George is a seventh generation Australian farmer, currently managing his family property which they have held since 1880. George operates an Angus breeding and finishing operation joining 1,500 cows per year, with a low-cost model turning off steers at feeder weights and direct sales of females.

George has long been on a regenerative agriculture path as it was the only way he could see to renovate their property 25 years ago without employed equity or working capital, which at the time they didn’t have. He continues with this model as it provides outstanding cost containments, continued production and profitability.

George is married with four (4) children, Harry 24, Emma 22, Dave 15 and Tom 13. He also enjoys flying and has his pilot’s license.

George is also a Founding Director of The Wellness House and a Founding Director of ONFARM CO. He has a strong voluntary involvement with his community including as the NSW Rural Fire Services Senior Dept Capt. and Chairman of St Paul’s Carcoar.

Bryce Camm

Grazier, camm agricultual group

Bryce Camm hails from Dalby in Queensland’s Darling Downs region where he oversees his family’s company Camm Agricultural Group; an integrated beef and cropping enterprise with interests across Queensland.

Bryce has been CEO of the group for the past eight years. Prior to that he was the Manager of the group’s award winning Wonga Plains Feedlot for eight years where he oversaw the operation triple in size. Growing up on “Natal Downs” Station in north Queensland Bryce undertook a dual degree in Business Administration and Communications at Bond University and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program as well as the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Bryce is currently the Chairman of Beef Australia Ltd and the Immediate Past President of the Australian Lot Feeders Council, as well as a previous Director of the Red Meat Advisory Council. 

Elke Cleverdon

Owner and Director, Cleverdon Agriculture - Grass Fed Black Angus

Elke is an experienced non-executive director in the agriculture and customer-owned banking sector with a passion for member-centric organisations. She brings a grower perspective, coupled with her genuine drive to elevate the industry through innovation. She was selected to the National Farmers’ Federation ‘Diversity in Ag Leadership’ 2022, among 12 women nationally.

Elke has a broad background in the agricultural industry as a producer and rural financial coach across regional NSW, challenging business models and production systems for growers across a wide range of commodities. Elke has been a joint owner and director of a broadacre family cattle property at Harden, NSW, since 1993. Cleverdon Ag raises and trades black Angus cattle.

Elke brings a wealth of financial, risk management and governance experience. Her current non-executive director roles include Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA), Murrumbidgee Health (NSW Health) and SWS Bank (a regional financial institution in NSW). 

Some of her many strengths include a strong focus on strategy, risk and a triple bottom line while chairing large-scale audit and risk committees.

Elke is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow CPA, and holds a Master of Business Administration focused in marketing, finance, business strategy and leadership. Her critical thinking and business acumen after 16 years’ experience as an executive in customer-owned banking and the past eight years as a Rural Financial Coach, makes her an ideal candidate seeking to advance producers’ long-term best interests in a fair and strong supply chain.

David Foote

Director - Tandarra Partners

Nominated by: Peter Hall, Troy Setter, Bryce Camm, David Hill, Adam Coffey 

For the past 45 years, David has held rural property management, executive and senior management positions across all mainland states in areas of; beef cattle & sheep breeding, growing and lot feeding, meat retailing, small seed growing, irrigated fodder, and the further processing and exporting of primary products such as meat, grain and fodder.

His export experiences which started in 1989 included a role with Stanbroke Pastoral Company to help develop Stanbroke’ s Live cattle export program. Additionally, David managed the integration of Bottle Tree feedlot grain feeding in the production system while developing and launching their now globally recognised Diamantina beef brand.

David has been in a leadership role at the Lee Family’s, Australian Country Choice group of Companies since 1999 and progressed in that time from General Manager Properties & Livestock to Group Managing Director until stepping back in December 2020 from a full time role to a strategic advisory and board role.

Headquartered in Brisbane and employing over 1,400 staff across 42 operations, Australian Country Choice (ACC) operates Australia’s largest vertically integrated beef supply chain; encompassing cattle breeding, cattle growing and feedlotting to supply its integrated food processing facility in Brisbane that incorporates beef slaughter, beef boning, value-adding and case ready beef packing.

ACC’s cattle property portfolio of around 4 million acres in Queensland & NSW encompasses operations from the Barkly Tableland, CQ coalfields, Carnarvon ranges, Augathella, Blackall, Roma, and Moonie districts of Queensland, with a carrying capacity of 300,000 head. of cattle to support the Company’s 3 feedlots.

Additionally, David represents Agricultural & Cattle industry interests in his role as; Non-Government member Australia­ Indonesia Red Meat & Cattle Partnership, member SmartSat CRC, member Cattle Australia -Policy Council, member Australian Meat Industry Council -China & Halal Trade Groups, Chair Workplace Health & Safety Queensland -Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee, Deputy Chair Laguna Bay Pastoral investment committee and Board Member lnventia Genetic Technologies (IGT). 

Away from work David has a small cattle property in the Mt Kilcoy (Qld) district running Charolais & Charbray breeders to the delight of his four grandchildren.

David wishes to continue into a second term to help build a strong and successful Cattle Australia to represent the interest of all cattle producers