Elders CEO Mark Allison opens the Elders Wool Ravenhall facility. Image – supplied.

ELDERS chief executive officer Mark Allison took aim at the Albanese Government’s legislated banning of the live sheep sea trade yesterday, declaring the company’s continued support for sheep and cattle exports.

At the official launch of the $25 million world-first Elders Wool handling facility in Melbourne and before an invited industry crowd absent of Federal Labor politicians, Mr Allison cited the lack of science in the live sheep export debate.

Instead of bending to the “whims of inner city ideology”, Australia should be investing in agriculture as Elders has been doing, he said.

In a reference to the Albanese Government’s $107 million adjustment package to phase out live sheep exports by sea by May 2028, Mr Allison said rather than investing to wind down agricultural industries, Australia should be improving services and greater digital infrastructure in regional and rural Australia to assist agriculture.

Mr Allison said the focus of the Elders business has been on improving the grower experience and building on Elders’ credentials as a trusted agribusiness that truly understands and supports Australian farmers.

Understanding and supporting farmers was something the country could do a lot more of, he said.

“According to recent data from Roy Morgan, growers are citing economic conditions, government policy and workforce and staffing issues as their top three concerns.

“I believe deeply in investing in rural industries and securing agricultural jobs and for our sector to continue to thrive our government must create the right environment and conditions,” Mr Allison said.

“I’ve been disheartened to see the ban on live sheep exports pass in parliament – a move that will drastically change the scale and dynamic of our nation’s flock and potentially create very unhelpful precedents.

“Sadly this has not been a debate about science, animal welfare conditions nor market regulations; it has been purely ideological and political and the reality is the live export trade has invested heavily to raise standards for animal welfare on ships and throughout the wider supply chain,” Mr Allison said.

“This has delivered the Australian live export industry’s high standards of animal welfare globally.

“As the Elders Wool facilities in Perth and Melbourne unite the Australian sheep industry from a handling and storage viewpoint, we are also united from the west to the east in our support of the broader sheep and cattle industries, and more specifically the sheep and cattle live export industries,” he said.

“I’m confident that our industry will work through these issues, these challenges, and look to new innovations, as we have many times before.

“Our priorities at a high level must first shift to supporting our rural industries and making decisions for the national good,” Mr Allison said.

“Rather than investing to wind down our agricultural industries, we should be investing in improving services and greater digital infrastructure throughout regional and rural Australia so that agriculture can continue to make a meaningful and material contribution to our country’s economy.

“Instead of bending to whims of inner city ideology, we should be investing in agriculture, the noble industry on which our nation was built … and that’s exactly what Elders has been busy doing,” he said.

“In another life I was an agronomist in far north Queensland and all I can say is that for something to thrive and flourish, much like a crop, it needs to be protected from weed and pests — emphasis on pests — and provided with the right inputs to grow.

“I believe this is true for the agricultural sector across Australia.”

Mr Allison said Elders is confident that sheep and wool have a bright future in Australia.

“We’re committed to being a constant presence in the sector, building on our legacy for generations to come.

“It’s at the core of why we are here tonight and why we have established Elders Wool – to help your businesses remain resilient and profitable in a fast-changing world and to send a very very clear message that we are confident in the future of our industry and our fibre.”

Elders general manager agency, Dave Adamson, left with CEO Mark Allison and executive general manager network, Tom Russo at the Ravenhall facility. Image supplied.

The new Elders Wool handling business has commenced operations nationwide, offering an end-to-end service for wool growers with two handling and marketing hubs located close to port zones in Melbourne and Perth.

The Melbourne wool centre is the world’s first automated wool handling facility, using autonomous, self-guided vehicles to move bales, while automated, custom-built core lines process wool.

Mr Allison said the centre aimed to secure a sustainable industry for the next generations. The $25m development is the largest single investment in wool handling this century “delivering a world-leading supply chain for us, our clients and the wider industry,” he said.

He said the Ravenhall centre and its counterpart in Western Australia are well-placed to support best-in-class marketing outcomes, positioned close to port and create a link between key growing regions and large concentrations of buyers.

“Both centres have state-of-the-art show floor facilities to provide a high quality experience for buyers and to allow growers and buyers to connect seamlessly.”

The Ravenhall centre also boasts significant sustainability credentials, aiming to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions with solar power, renewable energy, LED lighting and energy efficient equipment.

“Elders Wool is the largest single investment in wool handling this century.

“The decision to launch this business is an absolute vote of confidence for sheep and wool’s bright future in this country,” he said.

“I have faith that the sheep industry will work through current challenges and look to new innovations as we have many times before, but priorities at a higher level must first shift to supporting our rural industries.”

Banyangah Pastoral Co owner Ian Shippen said Elders Wool is a major innovation in wool.

“It is exciting to see Elders take this step and see the bigger picture. It provides a service, wholly managed by Elders, which allows us to get our wool to auction quickly,” he said.

The Perth hub, located at Rockingham, commenced operation in July 2023 and now services wool growers throughout Western Australia. The Rockingham centre integrates West Australian wool sales activities with storage and handling operations, improving efficiency and optimising marketing opportunities.