LIVE animal exports are back in the headlines after the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry minister, Murray Watt, announced consultation was underway to end live sheep exports.

Before the 2022 Federal Election, the government committed to ending live sheep export by sea but said it wouldn’t do so in its first term and said a plan to phase the trade out would be developed by 2024.

Implementing a staged phase out would give sheep industry and export supply chain stakeholders time to consider practical adjustments that would be required to transition. The government encouraged industry to consider expanding onshore processing and exporting more high-quality sheep meat to the world ahead of the planned phase out.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is among several industry stakeholders who have continued to oppose the ban, and in particular have expressed that it sets a concerning precedence for the future of cattle exports.

Port of Portland chief executive, Greg Burgoyne, confirmed sheep were last exported out of the Port of Portland in 2019 aboard the vessel Anna Marra.

Mr Burgoyne said cattle exports continued out of the Port and tonnage remained steady at approximately one per cent per year.

“It’s been stable at those levels for the last four to five years,” he said.

Western Victoria MP, Bev McArthur, who grew up on a sheep farm and presently lives on a family farm at Camperdown, said this week that the cessation of live sheep exports would have severe ramifications to the livestock industry “in the short and long term”.

She said it wouldn’t just end the meat component of live sheep exports but would deny the opportunity for any further expansion of the sheep breeders’ international market.

“There was a shipment of sheep breeders out of Victoria around 2018 to Russia - if we don’t expand exports, that avenue of industry can’t be explored - once the ban is in place - that will be end,” Mrs McArthur said.

“It precludes genetics embryo transfers implanted in heifers - it’s a big market.”

“It certainly closes the door on any reopening of the market in the future.

“It also ignores the short-term price depression for sheep meat.

“The live sheep trade is predominantly aged wethers - usually merino wethers past their use by date in wool production.

“If you ban live sheep to go to the Middle East there will actually be long term implications because of the value of aged wethers - they’re twice as much in value in live export as domestically.

“But even domestically - there is not a great market for aged meat - we like lamb, by and large - whereas the Middle East like aged meat - for various reasons - but essentially because of their lack of refrigeration and also because of their religious needs - having a live animal to slaughter is preferable.

“It then begs the question - what are we going to do with sheep stock that there is no market for.

“All this because of the animal activists.

“The Middle East will have to source their supply from other countries that do not have animal welfare standards at Australian levels.”

Chrome Sheep Studs owner, Matt Tonissen, based south of Hamilton, concurred that the live sheep trade ending would preclude any potential in genetics exports.

Mr Tonissen’s sheep stud specialises in breeding programs including maternal genetics as well as their own ‘Chrome’ sires and said in the last decade there had been shipments of sheep with implanted embryos sent overseas.

“My understanding is there has been strong trade in genetics to China and Mongolia in the last five to ten years,” he said.

“Uruguay and Brazil have also taken some, but in the long term it shuts the door on expansion of that.”

Mr Tonissen said there had been significant improvements in the last decade in live animal export protocols through the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS).

“The results have spoken for themselves,” he said.

“The Australian authorities have set up strong protocols and welfare is much better - the humane handling and slaughter of livestock in the importing country.

“Australia is the only country in the world with this kind of regulatory system.

“I don’t think (the live animal trade) should end - I think it should it continue.

“There will be implications for our mutton market - it has already been a bit subdued in the last six to eight months.

“If (export countries) don’t get it from us - they’ll get it from somewhere - we’ve done a lot of good work in setting up those protocols pre-shipping - they’re all better and losses on voyage have reduced significantly to the extent it’s almost the same risk (to their mortality) to leave them in the paddock.”

The VFF maintained its opposition to the Federal Government’s proposed phase out of the live sheep export industry.

Whilst there was no longer a live sheep trade direct from Victoria, the VFF expressed concern to minister Watt about the indirect consequences the phase out would have on Victorian producers and other livestock industries.

The VFF also expressed concern about the precedent being set by the Commonwealth in shutting down an industry based on the outdated demands of animal activists.

Furthermore, Mrs McArthur questioned the Victorian Agriculture minister in Parliament last week about the precedence the live sheep trade ban would have on cattle exports.

“The bottom line is - the Andrews Labor Government has refused to confirm that they will back the Ag industry in Victoria to ensure that live animal exports continue in this state,” she said.

“Given the minister represents the western Victoria region; home to the best cattle and sheep producers in the country.”

When asked in the Victorian Parliament by Mrs McArthur if she supported the ban on Australia’s live sheep exports, Ms Tierney said it was an interesting question as Victoria had not been exporting live sheep since 2018.

“This is an issue that is live in many parts of the country but, as an issue more generally in Victoria, not so much,” she said.

“I understand that the Federal Government did make an election commitment, and now they are going through a consultation process with those farmers that are continuing to export sheep across the country.”

An independent panel will lead the consultation process to inform how and when the Federal Government would fulfil its election commitment to phase out live sheep exports by sea.

Minister Watt encouraged all stakeholders to take part in the consultation process.

“I encourage all stakeholders to participate and provide input into how and when the phase out should be implemented,” she said.

“Including what’s needed to seize new opportunities.

“I will continue working closely with industry to ensure all animal welfare standards are maintained, as expected by the Australian community.

“Phasing out live sheep exports by sea is a complex issue that will impact farmers, businesses, our trading partners, and the communities that participate in the trade.”

The panel will provide its report to the minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry by September 30, 2023.