Australian cattle feed crisis needs government action

Northern Gulf Graziers Group is put 15 core resolutions. Included in the 15 resolutions was the call for the Federal Government to purchase 100,000 cattle under an aid programme for Indonesia, to provide boxed beef to help ease a supply shortfall in the country which is pushing beef prices to unaffordable levels, and to help to relieve an oversupply situation in northern Australia that is putting pressure on drought-stricken paddocks and cattle prices.

All in all about 500 graziers attended the meeting in Richmond. Also in attendance was Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig, but would not commit to the motion.

“What I’m here to do is to listen to people about some of the outcomes from the summit I’m not going to comment on individual ones,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Greens have renewed a call for a live cattle export ban to be re-imposed after revelations of animal mistreatment in Egypt.

But Senator Ludwig has reaffirmed his support for the industry.

“There are some in this community that want this trade to end – I’m not one of them – but we do have to recognise that the animal welfare issues need to be taken into account,” he said.