Animal welfare, climate change high on agenda as agriculture ministers meet in Perth

Animal welfare, livestock traceability and climate change dominated the agenda in Perth last week at the first face-to-face meeting of Federal, State and Territory agriculture ministers in more than three years.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt flew into Perth on Wednesday for the long-overdue gathering — the first to be held in WA since 2011.

A nationally agreed plan to phase out battery cage eggs by 2036 was the biggest decision to come out of the meeting, with WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis later revealing plans to fast track the transition by four years.

Also launched was Australia’s first National Agriculture Traceability Strategy: a 10-year road-map to co-ordinate and enhance biosecurity, trade, and food safety outcomes.

And in another Australian first, Ministers released a National Statement on Climate Change and Agriculture in a bid to ensure the farm sector “achieves its full potential as a world-leading, climate-smart producer and exporter of food and fibre”.

BATTERY CAGE BAN

The group locked in previously floated plans to end battery egg production across Australia no later than 2036 as part of new and improved “animal welfare standards” for the poultry industry.

Senator Watt said individual jurisdictions would choose how quickly they implemented the new policy, with Ms Jarvis flagging a 2032 deadline for WA.

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, she said caged egg production in WA was already declining, with only five “traditional battery cage” producers still operating in the State.

“Based on the age of the infrastructure and the national standards and guidelines, WA could well be out of battery caged eggs by 2032,” Ms Jarvis said.

“We will work with industry but my anticipation is that. . . 2032 will probably be the end date.”

The new welfare standards will not prevent farmers from caging chickens altogether but will drastically reduce the number of animals that can be confined together in a given space.

Senator Watt disputed Opposition claims that removing battery eggs — which make up about a third of the market currently — would drive up the price of the pantry staple.

“We’ve obtained modelling. . . which shows that even as a result of these changed standards, the average egg consumer will be paying about $1.51 more per year,” he said.

“We’re not talking about $15 (cartons) of eggs. Those figures have no credibility and the politicians that are out there spouting them are just trying to scare people.”

Shadow agriculture minister Colin de Grussa said the plan would deliver a blow to industry and consumers “in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis”.

“WA Labor need to be clear about how it proposes to transition to the new industry standards, and how it will ensure they are implemented in a way that will not decimate the WA industry,” he said.

The Commercial Egg Producers Association of WA has been pushing for a 2046 deadline, recently describing any attempt to phase out battery egg production within a decade as “unobtainable, unachievable and unaffordable”.

National Farmers’ Federation vice-president David Jochinke said the NFF had “strong concerns” about the phase-out’s impacts.

“For layer hens, our members have clearly told us that a transition of less than 25 years, without support and compensation, could spell the end for many family-owned egg producers, and impact on the consumers they supply,” he said.

BOLSTERING TRACEABILITY

A national food and fibre traceability strategy was launched in bid to guide research, as well as industry and government investment, to improve Australia’s “already strong systems, increase efficiencies, and deliver benefits to farmers”.

The strategy outlines priority actions including the creation of a sustainable funding model, appropriate governance mechanisms, and a nationally consistent approach to regulation.

“We know consumers and international markets want to know more than ever before about where their food has come from and the circumstances in which that food has been produced,” Senator Watt said.

“Traceability allows that to happen. It’s also important if we do see a major biosecurity outbreak and, of course, we’ve been threatened by many of them just in the last 12 months.”

Sheep Producers Australia welcomed the announcement, with president Bonnie Skinner saying effective traceability relied “inherently” on national consistency.

“The ability to verify the provenance of Australian red meat products and associated attributes will help to maintain Australia’s competitive advantage,” she said.

“Ongoing collaboration though mechanisms such as the Australian Agricultural Traceability Alliance will be critical.”

Mr Jochinke called for “appropriate transition packages for each commodity”, saying the NFF was still awaiting details.

The announcement came a day after State farming groups agreed to work together to transition to mandatory electronic tagging of sheep and goats — a policy set to come into effect nationwide by January 2025.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The National Statement on Climate Change and Agriculture outlines three key commitments all governments have signed up to.

They are: to establish strong leadership and direction nationally; to advocate for agriculture’s interests in the whole-of-economy shift to low emissions; and to maintain global leadership.

Senator Watt described the statement as “a snapshot of where Australia’s ag industry is at now, and a clear-eyed assessment of future work that needs to be done” amid emerging opportunities.

NFF described the announcement as “a positive step forward”, with Mr Jochinke saying the statement would provide “helpful guidance” to maintain global leadership in climate smart farm practices.

“We’re standing at the precipice of a low emissions economy, but our industry needs the right policy settings to support that transition and tap into emerging opportunities,” he said.

Farmers for Climate Action was more optimistic, with director Brett Hosking saying the statement was “an important first step” to deliver policies to help farmers cut emissions.

“There’s a commitment to make farm climate policies more consistent across Australia, a commitment to seek out opportunities presented to farmers by a low emissions future, and a commitment to pursue fair, free and open trade in agriculture to support emissions reductions,” he said.

“We don’t want our farmers to miss out on the huge opportunities a low-emissions economy creates.”

Mr Hosking urged governments to crack down on coal and gas companies, saying farmers “can’t reduce Australia’s emissions all on our own”.

Other topics discussed at the meeting included the growing threat of imported red fire ants in the Eastern States, the approval of a new draft National Drought Agreement, and an update on the Commonwealth’s Agricultural Workforce Working Group.

Ministerial attendees included Rebecca Vassarotti (ACT), Tara Moriarty (NSW), Paul Kirby (NT), Mark Furner (QLD), Clare Scriven (SA), Jo Palmer (TAS) and Gayle Tierney (VIC).

The last face-to-face agriculture ministers’ neeting was held in Launceston in February 2020.