Senators conducting an inquiry into the red meat processing sector have asked for another reporting extension to consider recent reports about the proposed implementation of DEXA carcase-scanning technology in Australian abattoirs.

The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee commenced its inquiry into the effect of market consolidation on the red meat processing sector in March 2015.

The committee was initially scheduled to hand down its report and recommendations by August 2015, but has since been granted several extensions.

Its latest reporting deadline was today, June 15, however, a committee spokesperson told Beef Central today the report is now unlikely to be handed down before August, because the Senators wish to hold a further hearing with authors of recent reports into DEXA technology in early August before they complete the inquiry.

The date of that hearing or whether it will be a public or closed session has not yet been finalised by committee members, the spokesperson said.