MEAT & Livestock Australia managing director Richard Norton says the producer-owned company is well on its way to delivering on its three promises made in August last year - to consult more widely with industry, greater transparency in its decision-making, and greater business efficiency and effectiveness.
The organisation has developed a new regional consultation model for prioritising research and development projects, and the relaunch of MLA's website in early July will deliver greater transparency.
And while subject to audit, MLA believes it has made $6 million worth of savings in almost a year. In 2013-14 MLA's total income was $188m.
"We have done a lot of work behind the scenes which will make it better to service our industry, your industry going forward," he said.
At two recent MLA forums in SA at Bordertown and Clare, Mr Norton highlighted the role of the producer-owned company in research and marketing and market insights, how levies were collected and spent, and its relationship with peak industry bodies such as the Cattle Council of Australia and the Sheepmeat Council of Australia.
Mr Norton said MLA's marketing campaigns had ensured demand for record volumes of Australian beef and lamb and opened up new markets.
Domestically, he said the red meat industry was the only industry to have two adverts in the final six of Australia's best TV ads with MLA's Australia Day Lamb campaign and MLA's You're Better on Beef.
The 2015 Australia Day campaign, featuring the late cricket commentator Richie Benaud was the eventual winner.
The $2.4m campaign reached an incredible 69m people including more than 1m people who viewed the TV commercial online.
Importantly, it also translated into lamb sales.
The following week there was a 35 per cent lift in sales on Monday - surpassing the previous best of a 10pc rise.
Mr Norton said MLA had taken on board the criticism of beef marketing which had envied the success of lamb and believed the 'You're Better on Beef' campaign was hitting the mark.
It highlighted how everyday people completed everyday tasks better with more zinc and iron in their diets and was aimed at non-beef loyalists.
"If everyone of those households could buy one more meal of beef a year it is worth $36.3m an annum but we have to give them a reason to buy more beef," he said.
Mr Norton said there was no specific budget for counteracting animal activist campaigns but they were encouraging producers to advocate for their industry.
More than 230 Australian farmers, including nine from SA, have shared their stories under 100 R&D initiatives with the wider public so far.
"Our research shows 95pc of domestic consumers trust Australian farmers so we have to be careful that we don't tell them that we care for our animals and for our environment because they already expect we do. Globally we have some work to do showing we have a sustainable product," he said.
Mr Norton said MLA had left advocating for the live export industry to the Australian Live Exporters Council but believed the ESCAS system was delivering some radical change in participating countries.
