A ‘who’s who’ of the northern cattle industry is set to join federal Agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce and senior Indonesian Government Ministers and officials in Broome at the end of this month in a joint effort to build Australian-Indonesian cattle trade relationships.

The event is officially the fourth in a series of Northern Beef Industry Roundtable and Producer Forums that have been conducted by the three State agriculture ministers and the Federal Minister for Regional Development since 2012.

In the past these events have not attracted widespread attention but this year’s roundtable and forum has assumed a more heavyweight punch with Federal Ministers from both countries and senior industry players expected to attend, also reflecting the improved nature of confidence in the Australian-Indonesian cattle trade.

The forum will be attended by State agriculture ministers Ken Baston (WA), Willem Westra Van Holthe (NT) and John McVeigh (Qld), federal agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, in his first visit to WA since taking the job, a number of yet-to-be-confirmed Indonesian ministers and senior Government officials, as well as senior industry people from both Australia and Indonesia.

Minister Joyce will brief the Roundtable on the Australia-Indonesia bilateral agricultural relationship, including the development of the Indonesia-Australia Red Meat and Cattle Partnership.

The organisers of the event state that the purpose of the Northern Beef Industry Round Table is to drive the development of the Australian beef industry in the north and to set priorities for action.  “The

Roundtable meetings provide an outstanding opportunity to meet, network and engage with relevant Ministers and senior industry and government figures involved in the Northern beef industry,” an official statement says.

The event will also include a field trip to two local beef operations near Broome including Jack Burton's integrated fodder production system and beef supply chain at Kilto Station and the ILC Roebuck Export Yards.

On Saturday, March 1, 2014 the North Australian Agriculture Ministers will host the Northern Beef Industry Roundtable.

• The Fourth Northern Beef Industry Roundtable and Producer Forum will be held in Broome, WA, on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1.