Research and Development Consultation

Summary

Meat & Livestock Australia's (MLA) new regional consultation framework giving sheepmeat and grassfed beef producers the opportunity to have their say how their levies are invested in research, development and adoption (RD&A).
The framework was developed following an independent review of MLA's levy investment systems for on-farm R&D. MLA commissioned the review in early 2013 as part of its regular drive for continuous improvement in the way MLA engages stakeholders in setting RD&A priorities, implementation of strategy and two-way industry communication.
The aim is to have a transparent, representative, cost-effective and systematic framework that underpins effective and relevant RD&A investment.
The underlying principles of the process are:
It enables broad, transparent and effective levy payer engagement (and subsequent co-investor engagement) in identifying industry RD&A priorities.The framework enables MLA to provide a leadership role for addressing the RD&A priorities under the Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2020 (MISP 2020) and Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) and Sheepmeat Council of Australia (SCA) industry plans.There is alignment to the project call process and the management of the MLA RD&A portfolio balance.There is clear delineation of roles and responsibilities of committees involved. Each committee has a consistent charter of operations that stipulates deliverables, processes, etc. that underpin operations and conduct.It enables transparency in the process of priority setting, project assessment, external peer review processes, and the achievement of outputs and outcomes from RD&A investment.The process enables a two-way flow of information utilising a bottom-up, top-down system of information flow involving testing of RD&A concepts as well as identifying regional RD&A priorities.The industry focus areas are grassfed beef and sheepmeat levies given the processing, feedlot sector, live export and goat levies operate under existing structures. However, there is flexibility to allow for different red meat sectors to engage as appropriate.Committee membership across all levels engages levy payers on a regional basis through a skills-based selection process, and includes co-investors and supply chain members as appropriate.It provides a clear separation between project decision making and project management.It doesn't duplicate existing structures and committees, but rather works within existing structures.The various MLA-funded consultation groups are considered a training ground for developing future industry leaders.The system is subject to a process of annual review and continuous improvement to ensure it remains relevant, representative and cost effective.

Four levels of consultation:
The regional consultation framework is based on four levels of consultation and is aligned to the annual project call process.
Level 1 - Broad strategic direction on RD&A investmentLevel 2 - Red Meat Panel: specific outcome advice on national priorities and portfolio balanceLevel 3 - Regional Councils: regional prioritisation of local RD&A outcomesLevel 4 - Regional Committees: local sheepmeat and grassfed beef RD&A priorities
Link to major outcome of the first round of consultation 2016/17 research, development and adoption (RD&A) priorities for sheepmeat and grassfed beef