Chair of the SISP Steering Committee Kate Joseph

AUSTRALIA’S sheep producers are being urged to participate in an online survey to set priorities for their industry for the next five years.

The Sheepmeat Council of Australia (SCA) is developing the Sheepmeat Industry Strategic (SISP) to provide a vision for the sheep industry for 2015-2020 and support the continued growth of the industry. This plan will clearly articulate industry priorities to guide levy investments over the next five years.

Producers and others involved in the sheep supply chain have the opportunity to complete a short online survey to provide feedback on investment priorities for the sheepmeat industry for 2015-2020.

To participate in the survey please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/sisp

Important for producers to give feedback

Chair of the SISP Steering Committee Kate Joseph said it was important that producers provided feedback through this survey to ensure they agree the above recommendations are correct and to direct research and investment by Meat & Livestock Australia, Animal Health Australia and the National Residue Survey on the issues that are affecting their businesses.

“It is essential that levy dollars paid by producers are leveraged in marketing and research & development (R&D) programs to maximise farmgate returns.

“The success of the sheepmeat industry over the last two decades is a direct result of a coordinated supply chain approach,” she said.

“Strategic planning has played an important role in the transformation of sheepmeat into an industry that exports to over 90 countries.

“The SISP provides a comprehensive and quantifiable direction for industry and government, on a whole-of-industry, supply chain basis,” Ms Joseph said.

“This ensures that investments are made with the long-term interests of the industry in mind.”

Ms Joseph said the industry has been though a consultative process since February 2014 and this survey provided the key issues that the steering committee had been told about.

“We want to make sure we have captured them all.”

Australian sheepmeat industry faces significant opportunities

SCA said the Australian sheepmeat industry faces significant opportunities in a world where there is growing demand for premium protein. However, there are a number of challenges that must be prioritised and addressed if producers are to capitalise on them.

The current SISP (2010-2015) finishes on June 30 2015 and key findings from the analysis of it includes recommendations that:

• We must maintain and co-ordinate our efforts to diversify and grow markets for Australian sheepmeat and live sheep.
• We must increase productivity growth by:

o Developing more efficient enterprise cost structures, and;

o  Optimising compliance to market specifications to maximise the efficiency of our supply systems and realise the value potential for the products we produce.

• We must enhance and guarantee the integrity of our whole-of-supply-chain quality and integrity systems, and promote these to our customers. This includes:

o Differentiating prices received based on delivering performance against quality and integrity specifications (value-based marketing) and use this is as a mechanism to incentivise innovation and better business performance.

o The development of a whole-of-supply-chain electronic data exchange capability that supports our quality and integrity specifications with open and transparent access by all relevant parties.

For more information about the SISP and to participate in the survey please visit: www.sheepmeatcouncil.com.au

Source: Sheepmeat Council of Australia