CATTLE Australia representatives will make the case for international recognition of Australia’s unique environmental management landscape and the need for localised definitions of deforestation.
CA board directory Adam Coffey, and CA director of policy and strategy Ivar Bisseling, will travel to Uruguay for next week’s Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) Conference, alongside CA regional consultative committee representative Kari Moffat, who will attend on behalf of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF).
The delegation will share with industry leaders from around the world CA’s Land Management Commitment (LMC) strategic policy.
CA launched the policy last week, to emphasise the primacy of agricultural land and provide definitions of deforestation and forest in the Australian context. It is using to policy to inform companies adopting deforestation-free policies and Europe with deforestation-related import rules.
Mr Coffey said the LMC policy aligned with the GRSB’s pillars for sustainable production by protecting and enhancing the unique Australian environment, growing efficient and resilient beef businesses, addressing global food security, and ensuring rural communities thrive.
“The Global Roundtable has sustainability goals including the provision of an environment in which cattle can thrive, while ensuring the value chain is a positive contributor to our environment,” Mr Coffey said.
“CA’s LMC policy contributes to the global industry achieving those goals by recognising the critical role Australian beef businesses play in managing and enhancing our natural environment, and the strict legislative frameworks that protect our landscapes from deforestation.”
The LMC policy was developed by CA in response to the supply chain’s need for a national framework to international reporting requirements for land management practices in Australia’s beef production systems.
Under the LMC, deforestation is the illegal clearing of trees on land used for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, that violates vegetation management laws and where trees exceed forest thresholds.
Agricultural land is defined as land used for the production of food and fibre, including the grazing of livestock. Forest does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural use, in line with international definitions.
“Australia has 136 vegetation laws operating at State, Territory and Federal levels that protect the 89 different bioregions with Australia’s unique landscape, and Australian cattle producers are at the front line of managing more than 50% of the national land mass,” Mr Coffey said.
“We take that role as environmental custodians very seriously.
“It is critical that this is recognised by the Australian government and our supply chain partners from around the world, so that we can continue to play a positive role in supporting food security, rural communities and environmental sustainability.
“We’re looking forward to presenting the LMC on the global stage in Uruguay and highlighting the exceptional work of Australian grass-fed cattle producers.”
Source: Cattle Australia
It has been a long and arduous process.
Arriving at a satisfactory definition of a Land Management Commitment is critical for all of agriculture, not only our grass fed cattle sector.
It is critical to acknowledge our farmers and graziers are great land managers, great at producing food, while caring for over 50% of our Australian landmass.
Importantly, it will assure all our supply chains and customers, our bankers and governments, that our industry is on the front foot with environmental management.
I believe it is time to recognise the great work that everyone involved at Cattle Australia have done developing a definition of deforestation and forest in the Australian context.