MLA managing director Michael Crowley. Image source: MLA

Meat and Livestock Australia has today unveiled its new-five year Strategic Plan, confirming the end of the Carbon Neutral by 2030 target, while also reinforcing the industry’s focus on Value-Based Marketing and elevating communications efforts to tell the red meat industry’s “fantastic story”.

The result of a year-long industry-wide consultation process, the plan sets out where MLA’s investment in research and development and marketing will be prioritised for Australia’s $81 billion red meat industry from 2026 to 2030.

It aligns with the Red Meat Industry Strategic Plan – “Red Meat 2030” – released last Thursday and locks in the major policy reset revealed on that day involving the industry decision to formally drop the Carbon Neutral 2030 target set back in 2017.

The goal has been updated from “CN30” (Carbon Neutral 2030) to “Contributing to Australia’s net zero ambitions”, the MLA plan states, adding that the new position now brings the industry into alignment with the Government’s 2050 commitments.

“The red meat industry set its CN30 goal in 2017 before the Government has established its climate goals. It drove investments of more than $100 million into sustainability projects,” Mr Crowley said in the media release announcing the new plan this morning.

“Our research, innovation and investment has paid dividends, and we won’t be slowing down. With the backing of our red meat industry bodies, MLA will continue our focus on reducing emissions and reducing emissions intensity per kilogram of production.

It also noted that, according to a CSIRO study, the red meat industry has reduced net greenhouse gas emissions by almost 78 per cent, against the 2005 baseline.

“Reaching CN30 was dependent on the right levels of investment and policy settings, we now know we need more time, more support, and more investment to reach our goal,” said Mr Crowley.

“We will keep pushing forward to reach our sustainability goals. It’s what our producers, our community and our customer’s demand.

“Productivity-led sustainability will ensure we can grow the herd and flock whilst delivering positive environmental outcomes. We will continue to invest in carbon storage and emissions avoidance initiatives. Additional leverage will be achieved through our partnership with Zero Net Emissions for Agriculture CRC.”

Other key elements of the plan announced today include:

Value-based marketing

MLA says it will deliver tools that support a value capture model, where market signals reflect objective measurement of traits like yield and eating quality with the addition of brand specifications.

Two‑way data flow will ensure producers receive clear pricing signals from the market with pull‑through demand driving production changes.

This will also enable livestock to feed forward credentials that support the value of livestock that deliver traits values by the market.

“Delivering value-based marketing will be a game-changer for our industry,” Mr Crowley said.

“The industry has made leaps and bounds with delivering premium product to customers and consumers around the world and value-based marketing offers an opportunity to accelerate that further and drive greater returns through the value chain and in particular livestock producers.”

Establishing multibreed genetic evaluation and livestock credentials

MLA will invest in tools that it says will support smarter, data-driven breeding decisions.

These innovations will improve productivity, eating quality and livestock resilience while supporting profitability and market performance.

By combining modern genetics with advanced traceability, MLA is positioning Australia as a global leader in sustainable, high quality, livestock production.

Driving demand through marketing, market access, and social capital

In his managing director’s statement in the forward to the Strategic Plan, Mr Crowley said the red meat sector is “a great industry with a fantastic story to tell”.

“As we bring our strategy to life, we will elevate our communication to ensure consumers and the broader community continue to support the vital role livestock producers and our industry deliver for the prosperity of our country.”

Domestically, MLA will focus on consumer-led campaigns that allow the red meat industry to adapt to Australia’s growing and diverse population. A key focus will be working with retailers and food service as well as targeting younger Australians.

Internationally, MLA will target high-growth markets across Asia, the Middle East, the European Union and other emerging regions while growing key markets such as Japan, South Korea and North America.

It will also focus on securing long-term live export trade relationships in key markets and explore market growth opportunities in new and emerging markets

“MLA is working in partnership with industry and government to improve trade access and ensure that Australian red meat continues to be recognised as for its high quality, and safe production and to unlock new market opportunities,” said Mr Crowley.

Investing in people

The plan will also focus investment n the industry’s people to ensure a skilled, safe and effective workforce.

This includes specific initiatives on developing the workforce of the future, improving workplace health and safety on-farm, enhancing industry leadership and MLA’s commitment to meaningful reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Our people are our future, and our investments reflect that,” Mr Crowley said.

Sustainability

MLA’s Strategic Plan will also accelerate investment in practical, science-based solutions, such as tools and calculators that help producers’ lower emissions and improve productivity. It also includes projects focused on land management strategies to build climate resilience.

In the first year of the Strategic Plan, MLA will invest more than $24 million in environmental sustainability projects.

This will include research into the biogenic methane cycle which will assist producers improve emissions measurement and support on-farm changes that deliver both economic and environmental value.

MLA will continue to invest in methane as a genetic trait, feed supplements that reduce emissions, pastures that improve productivity and reduce emissions intensity, technology that reduces the costs of measuring soil carbon storage.

‘A plan built for industry by industry’

Mr Crowley said MLA received thousands of responses through face-to-face events and online feedback in the development of the five year plan.

“It is a plan built by industry for the industry, with a firm focus on our future markets and customers,” he said.

“This input helped us refine our direction and ensure our priorities align with the industry plan, Red Meat 2030.

“Our vision is for a prosperous and sustainable industry underpinned by productivity and profitability. We’re prepared to be innovative to reach this goal. Our members expect that from us,” he said.

To view the MLA Strategic Plan visit: MLA 2030 Strategic Plan