Livestock SA praises funding promises

Livestock SA recognises that throughout the state, the drought has had considerable impacts on operations and outputs for many farming businesses.

Nonetheless, livestock prices were in producers' favour during the year, with outstanding lamb, beef and wool returns.

With African swine fever still affecting countries throughout the world, particularly the Chinese pig market, the global demand for Australian meat is increasing.

The Dog Fence rebuild has been a top priority for Livestock SA, with the federal and state governments making a positive commitment to funding $20 million towards the $25m required to replace 1600 kilometres of the SA Dog Fence.

Livestock SA committed, on behalf of the industry, to invest the remaining $5m through a 12-cent increase in the SA Sheep Industry Fund levy, which has come into effect and will cease once the money has been raised.

Contractors have been briefed and those successful in the Dog Fence tender process will be notified of their success in the coming weeks, with the fence rebuild set to begin in autumn this year.

The long-awaited rebuild will take three to five years to complete and is estimated to generate net benefits to the state of up to $133m across a 20-year period.

The Sheep and Cattle Industry Funds have transitioned to industry administration and governance and Livestock SA is establishing independent Sheep and Cattle Industry Fund boards to manage these funds.

Livestock SA will submit fund expenditure recommendations from the industry to the Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone for approval.

Payments will be distributed from the funds by Livestock SA in line with the recommendations of the Sheep and Cattle Industry Fund boards.

Related reading: Industry to take reins of SA's livestock funds

Early last year, the state government agreed to invest $7.5m into SA's red meat and wool sector to grow productivity in the industry and further strengthen biosecurity.

This funding builds on the Beef and Sheep Industry blueprints developed by Livestock SA, which will continue to work with the state government to refine the programs that will be available through this funding in the coming years.

The government also announced a $3m commitment to native vegetation heritage agreements, which will boost the benefits of improved native vegetation and enhance climate change resilience throughout SA.

Although the dry conditions throughout the state look set to continue, Livestock SA is urging producers to begin thinking about planning for drought recovery.

Long-term investment and land management is important to ensure businesses remain sustainable.

Livestock SA looks forward to another successful year of advocacy and lobbying on behalf of members in 2020.