V.ISC.2305 - NFAS Communication and Adoption Strategy Implementation

Summary

The National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS), administered by AUS-MEAT and governed by the Feedlot Industry Accreditation Committee (FLIAC), is an independently audited quality assurance system designed to uphold standards across Australia’s beef cattle feedlot sector. Its role in assuring production and management standards continues to be pivotal in maintaining market access and consumer trust. This project provided funding over a three-year period to support the on-going implementation of the NFAS communication and adoption strategy.

Objectives

The primary objective of this project was to ensure that effective communication and adoption strategies are in place for the NFAS program to support program awareness, program compliance and to ensure that key program changes are adopted by NFAS accredited feedlots.

This project developed and implemented an annual NFAS communication and adoption plan for 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. An annual report for each financial year was delivered that outline the key activities undertaken and outcomes achieved.

Key findings

NFAS Advice Notices and Circulars consistently outperformed industry benchmarks for email engagement. Open rates remained strong throughout with 72% in 2023–24, rising to 77.9% for a key notice in 2024–25, and settling around 68–70% in 2025–26. 
The email newsletter remained the primary communication channel throughout and continued to exceed industry benchmarks for open and click rates. Average newsletter open rates were 60% in 2023–24, 56% in 2024–25, and 59% in 2025–26, with click rates remaining steady at 14–15%.

Open forums remained the centrepiece extension activity with six sessions occurring in 2023–24, five in 2024–25, and four in 2025–26. Even though the number of forums reduced over time the registrations remained strong and the evaluation feedback received was positive with a high portion of attendees rating the sessions “really useful”.

Stakeholder collaboration between AUS-MEAT, ALFA, FLIAC remained a constant throughout the project, via regular working group meetings, FLIAC presentations, and contributions to circulars and the ALFA Lot Feeding Journal.

Benefits to industry

To improve industry awareness and understanding of NFAS requirements among accredited feedlots to strengthen compliance and reinforce industry’s commitment to quality assurance and integrity.

MLA action

To support the new NFAS Communication and Adoption Strategy developed for implementation over the next three years.