EconSearch Completed Project
Project: Objective Assessment of the Western Australian Beef Industry Supply Chain (2009)
Client: Western Australian Meat Industry Authority, Meat and Livestock Australia
Collaborator: Warwick Yates & Associates
Summary: The Western Australian Beef Industry Stocktake Project involved a detailed analysis and review of all the factors influencing prices and costs in the WA industry to identify the key issues that are impacting on the effectiveness and viability of the WA beef industry. Key recommendations of the Beef Stocktake Report include:
- The formation of a Western Australian Beef Producers Round Table to provide a forum for bottom up ideas and priorities to enhance the future development of the State’s beef industry.
- The implementation of the Western Australian Beef Industry Investment Council to bring together relevant agencies and key industry investors to resolve industry development impediments.
- Existing beef processing sites (and sheep and pork) and other supply chain intensive use sites, such as feedlots and saleyards, should be identified and their operating permits/licences ‘grandfathered’ to prevent further urban encroachment.
- Meat Processing Precincts should be identified and established to consolidate agricultural processing into selected regions where there is capacity to achieve benefits of co-location and attract new agricultural processing enterprises to these precincts.
- A Beef Processing Industry Restructure Fund should be established to establish new livestock processing precincts and facilitate the relocation of older non-viable capacity.
- The Western Australian Meat Industry Authority (WAMIA) provide the Secretariat for the WA Beef Industry Investment Council and also be responsible for the management of the development of the new beef processing precincts.
- Red tape reduction: DAFWA, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, need to target unnecessary or burdensome compliance rules and take action to minimise the current burden on the WA beef industry.
- The Stocktake Program needs to come under annual scrutiny and independent review.
Report: Copies of the Project Report Synopsis and Issues paper can be obtained by contacting the Western Australian Meat Industry Authority on 92747533 or wamia@wamia(dot)wa(dot)gov(dot)au.