WHAT will Jason Strong’s legacy to industry be as the operational head of Meat & Livestock Australia? How will history view his contribution to industry progress?
Set out below are some key points that characterised the Strong era of MLA industry service delivery operations…..
Length of tenure
Past MLA MDs1998-2023 |
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| Jason Strong | April 2019-December 2023 | 4 yrs 9 mos |
| Richard Norton | June 2014-Dec 2018 | 4 yrs 7 mos |
| Scott Hansen | June 2011-March 2014 | 2 yrs 10 mos |
| David Palmer | Feb 2006-Jul 2011 | 5 yrs 6 mos |
| Mark Spurr | 2002-2006 | 4 yrs |
| Richard Brooks | June 1998-2002 | 4 yrs |
While Jason Strong’s decision announced today to leave MLA next month has surprised many across the industry, history clearly shows the MD’s job has only limited tenure – for a host of reasons.
In fact Mr Strong (four years, nine months) is the second longest serving MD since MLA was formed back in 1997.
Only David Palmer (five years, six months, from 2006-2011) has served longer. Both his immediate predecessors – Richard Norton, and Scott Hansen (two years, ten months) served shorter terms, as did Mark Spurr and Richard Brooks, the inaugural MD from June 1998.
Irrevocable conflict with the MLA board has at times in the past been a key factor in MD departures. There’s no evidence that that was the case in Jason Strong’s decision announced today.
Tumultuous five years
Jason Strong’s four-year and eight-month term as MD has spanned one of the most volatile periods in recent Australian red meat history. His job at the helm was punctuated by the 2019-20 continental scale drought, COVID global pandemic causing massive upheaval in Australian beef trade, booming livestock prices (2021-22) and an equally spectacular livestock price crash (2023).
All influenced MLA’s operations and performance in various ways, ranging from levy stream volatility due to 30-year low beef kills (2020-21), to dramatic shifts in demand for product in international and domestic markets.
Rightly or wrongly, MLA is often the first target for industry frustration when livestock prices move dramatically. Some felt MLA dodged a bullet at its November 23 annual general meeting, in terms of producer backlash over 2023 livestock price trends.
However November’s widespread rain and first signs of a subsequent cattle and sheep market rally may have de-sensitised producer sentiment on the topic, at the last minute. In fact there were no stakeholder AGM questions focussed at Mr Strong or MLA on this year’s price cycle.
Breadth of experience commanded respect
Mr Strong came into the MD’s job back in early 2019 with arguably the broadest industry experience base of any MLA managing director in history.
By nature of his previous employment and study history, he was well-armed to tackle the myriad complex issues the job involved. He had good applied practical knowledge across meat science, livestock production, genetics, international market access, marketing, retailing and other fields.
It allowed him to engage in dialogue with stakeholders, other peak councils, government and other interest groups with a level of authority and understanding.
Passionate, but frustrations showed at times
While Jason Strong was clearly passionate about the red meat industry in which he has worked for his entire lift, he at times showed frustration over what he saw as negativism within the industry. That was typified by comments made during Senate Estimates earlier this year over industry statistical reporting and forecasting.
Some stakeholders have pointed to MLA’s reluctance to shift its stance on CN30 as signs of not listening to broader industry views. During the 2023 AGM earlier this month, Mr Strong doubled-down on MLA’s support for the carbon neutral by 2030 option first launched by his predecessor, Richard Norton, back in 2017.
Some stakeholders, including the newly formed Cattle Australia, have advocated for a move to a climate-neutral model, which they argue better reflects industry’s position.
While continuing to back the carbon-neutral model, Mr Strong often repeated the condition that it had to be in the context of improved profitability, inter-generational business sustainability and leaving the environment in better shape than the industry found it.
Fewer, bigger, bolder approach to R&D
One of Jason Strong’s core policy decisions in the research and development field was his declaration in 2019 of a strategy of ‘Fewer, bigger, bolder’ to describe the industry’s allocation of funds for R&D purposes.
The move was part of a new industry goal of doubling the value of Australian red meat sales by 2030, over which it remains ‘on track.’
Pressing the flesh
Few, if any MLA managing directors to serve since the producer owned company was formed in 1997 have spent as much time in regional Australia, engaging with stakeholders of all types.
Jason Strong’s weekly (and often weekend) travel itinerary, seen on occasion by this publication, showed he was determined to engage as much as humanly possible with grassroots stakeholders.
Such activity is often un-noticed by the broader producer population, who occasionally accused him of ‘ivory tower-sitting’.
Bravo to Jason for the positive space and light he worked hard to achieve in the beef industry. How telling is the average tenure of the MLA CEO?? How much do we expect of our leadership while we sit back in denial of our own role??
The one thing that would have made him a legend hasn’t happened. Closing a fta with the EU. It’s going to happen one day and we will remember how he pushed hard for it.
I was with him from the start in 2011. He helped us at our stand at tutti food in Italy. He had to sleep in a sort of crib. He splitted oysterblades grilled them. He did not speak a word of Italian but nonetheless people looked up to him. Flabbergasted what Australian beef delivered. Tender full of flavor every time be it flat iron steaks or flapmeat. How close can a MLA boss get to his subject and his target market. We thank him and pray for the next person to be as empathetic and supportive as Jason
100 steers at $2,000 i am in business. 100 steers at $500 forget breeding, climate change, tags 12 months and its all over red rover…
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Grass-fed cattle producers were fortunate to have someone of Jason’s experience and passion in his role with MLA. He spoke up at the meeting with the then Minister in December 2014 pointing out the failures of Cattle Council in managing their responsibilities under the Red Meat MoU.
His leadership and management of MLA following the problems created by his predecessor allowed a return to providing strong marketing and necessary R&D investments.
There needs to be stronger oversight of the receipt and spending of our industry levies, but Jason’s stewardship reduced waste helped MLA meet its KPIs. A new organisation is needed owned by Grass-fed levy payers to receive and allocate our funds for marketing and R&D but that is foe another day.
Thank you, Jason, for your service and our members wish you every success in your future career.
Australian Cattle Industry Council
Well said John Gunthorpe
And that organisation is Cattle Australia. Are you a member ?
No Val no members of our organisation are members of the rebadged Cattle Council for the reasons well canvassed. However CA is not the organisation for this role. CA is supposed to be for advocacy of issues impacting the profitable operation of our farms. Levies need to be paid to a new organisation to meet the federal government guidelines. This is processors use AMPC for this role and AMIC for advocacy. So we need a new organisation to receive and spend grass-fed cattle producer levies.
Australian Cattle Producers Council
Coongratulations Jason on all your hard work and achievements at MLA and your previous roles at Genetic Solutions, AACo, Smithfield Feedlot etc. I was Head Vet at Stanbroke when you were at Genetic Solutions and worked with you on management applications to improve the beef producing genetics of the Stanbroke herd. Thank you & I wish you success in your future endeavours.