The Albanese Labor Government is providing a further $32.7 million to the transition support package for the phase out of live sheep exports by sea.
This will increase the total amount to assist sheep producers and those in the associated supply chains to adapt from $64.6 million to $97.3 million, and raise the total overall package for the transition to $139.7 million.
This extra investment will support more jobs for regional communities in Western Australia, and paves the way for farmers, particularly in Western Australia, to supply the rapidly growing global demand for sheepmeat.
The Government will work with the Western Australian Government to deliver key elements of the transition package including processing capacity grants and community wellbeing support.
The Government is committed to working with industry on this important transition through a co-design process to prioritise the assistance that producers and supply chain businesses needs to plan, respond and adapt.
This will ensure that the additional funding is focussed on the future strength and sustainability of the industry and increase alignment of assistance measures with transition needs.
The Government's commitment to phase out export of live sheep by sea is in line with the community's expectations on sheep welfare, and delivers on election commitments made in 2019 and 2022.
Minister Collins will speak today with producers and processors, as well as industry representatives, to discuss the Government's transition package to support the legislated end of live sheep exports by sea by May 2028.
Included in the $139.7 million package is $27 million for activities to enhance market demand, aimed at exploring market development opportunities and advocating for Australian products at home and overseas.
This program will focus on increasing demand and sales of sheepmeat in Australia and globally, and to diversify opportunities for Australian agricultural and food products to the Middle East and North Africa region.
Minister Collins has approved the grant opportunity guidelines for the first round in the $4.4 million Enhancing Market Demand Program. Submissions will be accepted from 8 November.
Further initiatives in the $27 million program include:
- $3.0 million for Meat & Livestock Australia focused on sheepmeat market promotion here in Australia and overseas;
- $8.6 million for Agriculture counsellors in Dubai and Riyadh to support regional trade relationships and new and expanded market opportunities for Australian sheep products; and
- $9 million for Austrade to promote Australian sheep products globally and support broad growth in Australian agri-food trade in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The live sheep export by sea industry was worth $411m in 2002-03 and declined to $77m in 2022-23. Sheepmeat exports are currently worth a whopping $4.5 billion a year, and growing.
This is in addition to domestic demand for sheepmeat which is up to around $3.5 billion a year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP:
"The Albanese Labor Government made a commitment to phase out the export of live sheep by sea, and we're delivering on that promise. We want WA sheep farmers and those associated with the industry to benefit from new markets and the ever-growing sheepmeat export opportunities before us.
"We are investing more in the transition of the Australian sheep industry and supply chain, growing the sheepmeat industry, maintaining Australia's commitment to animal welfare and increasing national and export trade markets.
"Diversifying trade and expanding customer demand will assist businesses impacted by the phase out, providing confidence in transitioning away from the live sheep by sea export trade.
"These opportunities will see the industry well-placed to capitalise on consumer demand in Australia and overseas for high-quality and ethically produced food and fibre.
"Our sheep industry is a proud and important part of our agricultural sector.
"The co-design process that we've created ensures that industry is playing a critical role in developing the best possible measures to help the sector transition away from live exports."
