For the fourth time, some of Australia's tastiest beef – and the producers who grow it – have been recognised in the 2023 Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Excellence in Eating Quality Awards, by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). The awards recognise beef producers in each state who have achieved outstanding results in a very large field of tough competition and receiving one is a prestigious achievement.
Each winner must achieve high eating quality performance for MSA graded cattle during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 financial years and supply consistent MSA cattle within the top 50th percentile for that state and feed type, which means they are the best of the best when it comes to producing consistently outstanding beef.
The MSA Excellence in Eating Quality Awards were announced in 2023 for the following categories in each state and territory grouping (Queensland, NSW/ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, SA/NT and WA):
- Outstanding feedlot
- Outstanding non-grainfed producer Band 1 (larger non-grainfed)
- Outstanding non-grainfed producer Band 2 (smaller non-grainfed).
Winners in each of these categories were:
| State | Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer – Feedlot |
| NSW/ACT | JHW Paterson & Son, Balranald |
| Victoria | Alloa Pastoral Co Pty Ltd, Milawa |
| Queensland | Stockyard Lot Feeders Pty Ltd, Jondaryan |
| WA | Stone Axe Pastoral, West Perth |
| SA/NT | Thomas Foods International, Tintinara |
| State | Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer – Band 1 (larger non-grainfed) |
| NSW/ACT | Ardsley Pastoral, Bathurst |
| Victoria | Nekashabai Pty Ltd Trustee for N & K Beecher Family Trust, Yinnar |
| Queensland | Bull Creek Pty Ltd, Taroom |
| WA | Graham Ayres Livestock, Bornholm |
| SA/NT | BM & BP Mumford & Sons, Crystal Brook |
| Tasmania | KS & GN Johnson, Preston |
| State | Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer – Band 2 (smaller non-grainfed) |
| NSW/ACT | Tarrabah Pastoral Co, Attunga |
| Victoria | RJ & SM Dalley, Buchan South |
| Queensland | The Smith Family-New Kooroon, North Star |
| WA | Twin Lakes Holdings, Manjimup |
| SA/NT | MW Jones, Glencoe |
| Tasmania | Teldara Pty Ltd, Penguin |
To get to know some of the winners better, and to find out how their on-farm decisions have resulted in them receiving the Excellence in Eating Quality award in their category, click here for the producer case studies.
