Representatives from all sectors of the cattle and sheep industries are meeting in Sydney this week to set the strategy and budget allocations for MLA’s global marketing programs for the year ahead.

In a press release issued this afternoon, MLA managing director Scott Hansen said for each of Australia’s major beef and sheepmeat markets there is a dedicated industry taskforce committee which directs MLA’s marketing program budgets and activities.

“The annual marketing taskforce meetings are the time for peak councils and industry representatives to meet and discuss how they want their marketing levies invested for maximum benefit to producers and the broader industry,” he said.

Mr Hansen said he expects key topics during the 2012 marketing taskforce meetings to include market access and market diversification, as well as how to best allocate spending on marketing programs with a reduced beef marketing budget.

“This year’s industry taskforce committees will discuss key issues, one being market access, especially in relation to Japan and Korea, where Australian product is under sustained competitive pressure from the US," said Mr Hansen.

"Generally good seasons in 2011 have resulted in reduced grassfed levy income, therefore the 2012 grassfed beef marketing budget will be lower."

“The committees will discuss the support MLA can provide to further diversify Australia’s market base by increasing marketing levy investments into programs in emerging markets including the Middle East, South East Asia and Russia.”

“For lamb and sheepmeat, the strategy will focus on meeting the challenge of maintaining both supply and customers as heavy competition between the domestic, US, Middle East markets for Australian product is expected to continue," he said.

The marketing taskforce meetings will be held for Japan, Korea, North America, Australia, Europe and Russia, South East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. 

Source: Meat and Livestock Australia