Impact of MLA Supply Chain Sustainability Investments (2015–2020)

Summary

Meat & Livestock Australia manages several research and development programs, including the Supply Chain Sustainability program, which identifies activities that enable Australian red meat supply chains to be regarded as socially, environmentally and economically responsible.

This project performed an ex ante analysis to independently estimate the expected rate of adoption and industry impacts of projects related to dung beetles, the Northern Australian Climate Program, water efficiency and recycling products, and the use of biosolids anaerobic digestion.

These four projects have all had a modest impact on the profitability of Australia’s red meat industry and the environmental and social benefits are likely to drive an even higher rate of adoption.

Objectives

The purpose of the impact review was to evaluate the future anticipated benefit and profitability of existing on-farm and off-farm R&D investments within MLA’s Supply Chain Sustainability strategy.

Key findings

• Although dung beetles currently have a low estimated impact on industry profitability, improving their rate of adoption could lead to increased pasture utilisation by livestock and reduced use of chemicals and fertilisers.
• The Northern Australian Climate Program has been mainly adopted by cattle producers in the far north who are affected by adverse climate conditions.
• Biosolids anaerobic digestion has the greatest impact on the industry’s profitability when it is adopted by abattoirs.
• Producing higher quality potable water can be expensive but will have a greater positive impact on the industry.

Benefits to industry

The results of this project are useful for estimating the likely impact and adoption of these Supply Chain Sustainability products, highlighting knowledge gaps and assisting MLA’s decision making process for future investments.

Future research

Future off-farm profitability impact assessments would benefit from data from facilities that have adopted Supply Chain Sustainability products, to determine the effects on facilities of different sizes.