CATTLE Council of Australia is committed to restructuring towards a direct member organisation.
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That was the message from its chief executive officer Jed Matz during a producer forum in the South East last week, part of their Rural Awareness Tour of the region.
He said grassfed beef producers could be asked to vote on a new model by the end of the year.
Mr Matz said they were disappointed government Senate Inquiry recommendations did not offer an alternative funding stream to cover the future loss of state farming organisation revenue, but said CCA was exploring commercial revenue opportunities.
He was hopeful proposed government legislation changes would allow peak councils like CCA to have access to the levy payer database for the first time, enabling them to develop user-pays services for members.
“An example of this in SA would be the RAA, which is a lobby group for motorists. Drivers join for the services they supply but also as a consequence get a strong lobby group,” he said.
CCA is also expanding its successful Pasture Fed Cattle Assurance Scheme. It has 300 registered suppliers but hopes to grow this to 2500-3000 participants. It is delivering premiums to grassfed beef suppliers selling into the United States and Australia.
Mr Matz said the peak industry body remained a strong voice for grassfed beef producers but acknowledged it needed to get better at communicating its value.
Free trade agreements in Japan, Korea, China and the Trans-Pacific Partnership had been big wins for the beef industry and CCA had been “front and centre”, ensuring a good deal.
It was also pushing hard to reform Aus-Meat beef language and have greater transparency in traits measured.
“Some of the traits we are paid on have no link to eating quality and we think that is holding the industry back and sending the wrong signals,” he said.
A major function of CCA is overseeing the spending of the $5 a head grassfed levy by MLA. Mr Matz flagged discussion may be needed about a proposed increase.
“The $5/hd hasn’t changed in years so is less in real terms,” he said. “We need to work out if the industry is willing to cut some valuable programs delivered by MLA or whether there is the appetite to increase the levy.”
Mr Matz said CCA played a vital role, sitting on more than 90 committees, “keeping beef in the market every day”.
On the tour, government staff and key industry stakeholders received a snapshot of the SE. Their week-long visit included Teys abattoir, Naracoorte, Mayura Station, Millicent, and Ogilvie’s feedlot, Apsley, Vic.
