The SA Sheep Industry Blueprint has already surpassed many of its key goals, including smashing its target to increase the productivity and value of the sheep sector by 20 per cent by the end of 2020.
Since its launch in 2016 when it was a $1.48b industry, the state's gross revenue has grown by 35 per cent to more than $2b in 2018-19, according to a mid-term review released this week.
The initial $1.8b target was achieved in the first two years.
During this period there has been a doubling of lamb prices and wool prices have nearly doubled.
Despite severe drought in some areas, SA's sheep flock grew by more than 9 per cent in this time to nearly 11.8m head.
Sheep and Cattle Industry Blueprint Working Group chair Jane Kellock said the review highlighted how united the sheep industry had become since 2015.
"To me, the collaboration and process of working together in conjunction with government has been a highlight," she said.
"I think every single person who has sat at the Sheep Industry Blueprint table should be commended because it has been absolutely critical in getting input from the entire value chain.
The Blueprint Working Group is made up of stakeholders including producers, agents, meat and wool processors, consultants, the University of Adelaide and PIRSA.
The industry now has a benchmark for assessing growth in the industry and a framework for fostering additional quality consultants and building capacity within the industry,
- JANE KELLOCK
Mrs Kellock said the Blueprint had helped drive investment in research and development and leverage industry funds from the SA Sheep Industry Fund with other sources.
It has helped attract more than $15m worth of sheep reproduction and lamb survival projects being led from SA which Mrs Kellock said Blueprint manager Stephen Lee had been a big part of.
The Blueprint also helped facilitate the state's individual consultants coming together to work as a group.
"The industry now has a benchmark for assessing growth in the industry and a framework for fostering additional quality consultants and building capacity within the industry," she said.
Mrs Kellock said consultation would begin in the coming month to determine the priorities for the coming decade, leading to a new SA Sheep Industry Blueprint aligned to the 2030 National Meat Industry Strategic Plan.
Among the key areas to be addressed are sustainability, resilience and wellbeing, as SA starts to recover from the effects of drought, bushfires and COVID-19.
Regional meetings will be held in August and an online survey will be released seeking feedback.
"It's a great time to be in the sheep industry and I am excited about the next iteration of the Blueprint," she said.
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