Chewing fat with Tasmania’s red meat sector

Jo Palmer, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Red meat industry producers, researchers, consultants and processors gathered at the Launceston Tramsheds for the annual Red Meat Updates conference on Friday.

Organised by a producer-led working group, the conference covers production, business, and supply chain topics in beef, sheep, dryland pasture, and irrigated pasture.

Held annually, the Rockliff Liberal Government is a proud sponsor of the conference, which attracts up to 350 attendees.

Primary Industries and Water Minister Jo Palmer said the conference is a valuable platform for sheep and cattle producers, providing information, inspiration, and connections within the red meat industry.

“Tasmania’s red meat industry is the largest contributor to Tasmanian land-based agricultural production, with a farm-gate value in 2020-21 of $608 million,” Minister Palmer said.

“Our Government continues to invest in high-surety irrigation water, and we know this access combined with favourable conditions, strong market demand and the hard work of our producers have supported the industry’s consistent growth over the past eight years.

“Supporting initiatives like the Red Meat Updates reflects our Government’s commitment to enhancing the competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation of the red meat sector in Tasmania.”

The Rockliff Liberal Government provided $5000 to sponsor the event.

Tasmanian Agri-Food ScoreCard 2020-21 shows beef had an 8 per cent value increase to $416 million and mutton increased 1 per cent to $192 million.

The red meat industry plays a key role in reaching the Rockliff Liberal Government’s target to increase the annual value of the agricultural sector to $10 billion by 2050.

/Public Release. View in full here.