Livestock sector continuing to improve environmental sustainability and stewardship

The red meat and livestock sector continues to improve its environmental sustainability and stewardship, and suggestions this week of a “deforestation problem” in Queensland are incorrect, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.

MLA Managing Director, Jason Strong, said that livestock producers were working hard to manage their land sustainably for the next generation and to leave the environment in a better place than they found it.

“The reality is that the industry’s market access depends on our industry meeting our international obligations and national and state legislation and regulations,” Mr Strong said.

“Queensland State vegetation management clearly defines vegetation zones and which areas are primary forest areas prohibited from clearing and the secondary regrowth forest areas eligible for regrowth and invasive plant species management.

“Our industry abides by the internationally recognised definition of deforestation that takes into account both deforestation and regrowth and we have always been open to working with WWF to come to an agreed definition of deforestation.

“When we look at the progress the industry has made, and the targets that we have set for ourselves, it is clear that the livestock sector is headed in a positive direction.

“The Australian livestock industry has the dual responsibility of producing nutritious food to feed the world and protecting our land and biodiversity. MLA has accelerated investment to achieve this and also to demonstrate and measure these achievements.

“Industry has gone to some lengths to ensure that through the “Balance of Tree and Grass Cover” (BOTGC) tool we have the capacity to measure and report on our net national forest and woodland gain and loss annually as reported through the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework.”

Mr Strong said the industry was working to secure an economically and environmentally sustainable future by:

• Setting the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030
• Continuing to support a net positive annual net change in national woody cover figure that recognises vegetation gain as well as loss
• Continuing the investment to provide a highly nutritious and environmentally sustainable product.

“The sector is making huge gains in our environmental sustainability and is enthusiastic about being part of the solution for sustainable production and environmental stewardship,” Mr Strong said.

“MLA is investing in innovative research to mitigate our carbon footprint, as well as programs to increase carbon storage on farms. This includes technologies to build carbon in soils, lower the cost of soil carbon measurement and management technologies, and development of practices to include trees on farms in ways that benefit livestock production.

“Industry continues to take big steps forward. Simplistic criticism and exaggeration in the media this week are unhelpful and don’t recognise the incredibly positive sustainability story of the industry.”