Comments attributable to Fiona Simson, President, National Farmers’ Federation
The National Farmers’ Federation notes the update from the advisory panel on the phase out of live sheep exports by sea.
Report acknowledges the significant impacts on sheep and cattle producers, the wool industry, broadacre cropping, other businesses in the supply chain, wellbeing, communities, animal welfare, trade markets and more.
The panel has found the “overwhelming majority of those people who attended our public meetings voiced their opposition to the government’s decision”.
It also found people were feeling “uneasy” and the “potential impacts on livelihoods has been unsettling”.
This sentiment was reflected in three separate analyses recently released by Rabobank, jointly by Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia, and Voconiq.
The NFF stands with 24 other peak agriculture bodies and farmers across Australia to oppose the ban or any process to phase out the trade.
We knew majority of the community was behind us and this should be a reality check for the Government.
The Government now needs to make a choice, will it support Australian farmers and regional communities or radical activists pushing vexatious and misleading agendas?
We’ve said from the beginning this is a red line issue for all of Australian agriculture. Let’s now see a red line drawn through this policy so farmers can get back to what they do best – producing food and fibre for Australia and the world.
