Production
Environmental Sustainability
NT beef producers care about the environment in which they raise their livestock.
The reality is, their livelihoods depend on a thriving environment and healthy ecosystems.
The Australian Red Meat industry’s goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030. As an industry, we are serious about addressing GHG emissions and are committed to improving the environment while producing high quality, nutritious beef.
To help achieve this goal, NT cattle producers use a diverse range of sustainable practices including:
- Savannah Fire Management: by carrying out early dry-season burning, land managers are reducing the risk of late dry-season bushfires, in turn improving biodiversity and reducing GHG emissions.
- Herd management: reducing emissions by improving herd productivity (less GHG for each tonne of beef produced)
- Environmentally sustainable land management methods: Setting sustainable stocking rates, increasing water availability to improve grazing distribution, managing weeds and feral animals, pasture monitoring.
The 2019 Australian Beef Sustainability Annual Update reports the beef industry is on track to become carbon neutral by 2030, having almost halved it’s carbon footprint since 2005.
Animal Welfare
Territory live exporters look after the cattle in their care. The reality is, their livelihoods depend on producing healthy and content livestock.
The entire cattle export process – from farm to the point of slaughter – is regulated by the Australian Government under two main regulatory systems: the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) and the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS).
The Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock outline the animal health and welfare requirements for the livestock export industry, from farm through to the discharge of animals in the country of destination. It incorporates stringent reporting requirements for exporters to ensure the Australian Government can monitor animal health and welfare through a voyage and respond to emergency situations if they arise.
During all voyages, cattle are cared for by trained and accredited stock people. During long-haul voyages, a veterinarian accredited by the Australian Government is also present.
The Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System requires livestock exporters to demonstrate that livestock remain within approved supply chains at all times, from discharge within the importing country to the processing point.
Cattle must also be handled and processed in accordance with the internationally accepted requirements for animal welfare, established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Failure to comply with the ESCAS can result in the Australian Government revoking the exporter’s license, applying conditions to a licence, failing to approve future consignments and imposing criminal sanctions.
