In this strategic episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Will Evans, CEO of Cattle Australia, for a comprehensive conversation about leading the peak body representing grass-fed beef producers.
Will shares insights from his journey through NT Livestock Exporters Association and NTCA, launching the critical cattle transaction levy review, why the focus has realigned to producer profitability over market/consumer expectations as the fundamental underpinning of sustainability, trade diversification amid Middle East conflicts and China challenges, and landscape-level methane research fighting point-in-time regulatory misunderstanding.
They discuss Cattle Australia's dual function and benefits to membership, regional consultation driving priorities, innovation and AI transforming genetic systems, and why Australian cattle breeding is now at the global forefront.
So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on policy, trade, and the future direction of Australian beef.
Key topics covered:
Will's journey from Gatton Ag College through, Cattle Council, NT Live Exporters Association and NTCA learning policy theory and practical implementation
About Cattle Australia's dual function as both peak commodity voice with technical expertise plus prescribed industry body overseeing levy allocation to MLA/AHA/NRS
Why CA have launched a critical levy review: the first in 20 years, the focus is on capturing millions in lost value within existing $5 rather than automatic increases
The important realignment on producer profitability to underpin all sustainability initiatives and additional requirements
Why a global shift occurred from "feed people" to "how are we feeding them" with conditionality expectations
Landscape-level methane research: world-leading analysis of emissions + sequestration fighting regulatory misunderstanding of output-only emission reductions
The European regulatory risk and the need for adequate research because current research is led from environmental not beef business perspective
Taking a holistic view of trade diversification strategy amid global conflicts
Engaging with successive Federal governments and Labor government relationships being about competing priorities not an anti-agriculture stance
The opportunities and challenges of the AI and innovation frontier for beef
Advice for young people getting into the industry and the massive Southeast Asia opportunity
Pull quotes:
"Cattle Australia has a dual function. The initial function was a peak voice for cattle producers [in a] lobbying role with government…We picked up additional role in nineties when we became prescribed industry body under Australian Meat Livestock Industries Act. Part of our task specifically is overseeing and having strategic input into allocation of our levies—MLA, AHA, NRS. We work very closely with those three organizations around how levies are allocated, what they're going towards."
"We've called a review of the cattle transaction levy. We're the only entity that can do that. The challenge we have is we haven't amended it in any way, shape, or form in 20 years. Some recipient bodies, we haven't amended anything to do with what funds they receive since 1998. Industry has changed significantly. Requirements we place on these institutions has changed significantly."
"We have an obsession in this country at federal level, especially at the regulatory level, around emissions from activities. But cattle producers in so many ways—you need to take a landscape level look. Yes, we have activities generating emissions, but business decisions we make daily to improve land conditions sequester carbon and methane. Measuring output only isn't considering the full operations of business."
“ We really realigned that focus on producer profitability…If producers aren't making money, they can't be investing in sustainability initiatives or any of these additional things that are becoming more commonplace within the industry. Profitability is the thing that underpins all of these desires and aspirations that our supply chain has for us.”
"So much of what happens in global beef industry in the next 20 years is going to be decided here. Obviously Brazil is a huge beast; what they do from a feedlotting perspective is absolutely fascinating. But from the technical side of things, we [Australia] are right at the forefront. For us it's harnessing that opportunity and really continuing to lead global industry in the right direction."
"Advice for young people: do lot more listening than you do talking. Ask questions because one of amazing things about our industry is how generous people are with their time, especially with young people, in teaching and passing on knowledge. You can learn more in afternoon sitting at the right pub with the right people asking the right questions than you can in six months of Gatton [Ag College]."
