Sheep Producers Australia CEO Bonnie Skinner

AUSTRALIAN sheep producers have been sold out by the Albanese Government on the free trade agreement with Europe, according to peak body Sheep Producers Australia.

SPA has described the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement as one of the weakest trade outcomes for Australian sheep meat in recent history.

SPA chief executive officer Bonnie Skinner said the FTA deal for sheep meat is largely unchanged from the deal Australia walked away from in 2023 and it does nothing to progress the national sheep meat industry and the regional communities that rely on it.

“The increase in access is small and, critically, it does not unlock real commercial opportunities.” Ms Skinner said.

“Sheep producers deserve better access to markets of this value. For a premium market like the EU, this falls well short of what was needed.”

This agreement raises serious questions about how agriculture has been weighted in the broader trade-offs made during negotiations.

“We are told this is a deal for all Australians, but from the perspective of sheep producers and regional communities contributing to Australia’s food production and exports, it’s hard to see the benefit,” Ms Skinner said.

This deal, which sells Australian sheep producers short, only offers just 25,000 tonnes cwt, over seven years – barely a third of what industry identified as a minimum requirement.

Ms Skinner said the outcome was particularly concerning in the context of heightened global focus on food security and growing global demand for high-quality protein.

“You can’t have a serious conversation about global food security while restricting access to efficient and reliable food producers,” she said.

“Australia’s sheep industry is well placed to contribute to global supply, but only if markets are genuinely open.

“Australia’s sheep producers have been sold out.”

FTA outcome part of a ‘perfect storm’ – AgForce

AgForce sheep, wool & goats president Boyd Webb said the FTA outcome was a missed opportunity for the sheep and wool industries to expand into premium European markets.

“Limited access and ongoing barriers mean producers won’t see the benefits that were hoped for from this agreement.”

AgForce has joined with the National Farmers’ Federation and others in expressing deep disappointment at the outcome of the Australia–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, warning it fails to deliver meaningful outcomes for Queensland producers.

AgForce general president Shane McCarthy said the agreement fell short of expectations and highlighted the mounting pressures facing Australian agriculture.

“Across all commodities, there is a consistent concern that this agreement does not deliver the level of access needed to support growth in Australian agriculture.

“We echo the concerns raised by the National Farmers’ Federation and others across the sector – this deal does not provide the meaningful market access Australian producers were seeking,” Mr McCarthy said.

“This is shaping up as a perfect storm for producers.

“A disappointing EU deal, ongoing fuel and fertiliser supply pressures and increasing regulatory burden through measures like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act reforms are all hitting the sector at once,” he said.

“At a time when farmers should be focused on producing food and fibre, they’re instead dealing with rising costs, supply uncertainty and growing compliance pressures.

“At the end of the day, every Australian relies on farmers. We need policy settings that back producers in – not make the job harder.”

AgForce cattle president Lloyd Hick said the outcome is deeply disappointing for the beef industry.

“The EU represents a high-value market, but without meaningful improvements in access, Queensland producers are being left at a competitive disadvantage against other global suppliers.”

AgForce grains president Brendan Taylor said for grain producers, the deal falls short of delivering the market access needed to justify the effort.

“It raises concerns about precedent in future trade negotiations and whether Australian agriculture is being prioritised in these outcomes.”