Farmers, feedlotters, and abattoirs first to access share of $139 million live sheep export transition package

Farmers, feedlotters and abattoirs will be the first to access a share of the Federal Government’s $139 million package to transition away from the live sheep export industry, with the first of two $20m grant rounds now open. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis attended the first day of WA’s biggest agricultural event, the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, on August 27 to unveil more details about the $40m Supply Chain Capacity Program first announced in April. Under the program, producers are able to apply for grants of up to $2m for finishing and feedlotting developments while processors are able to apply for up to $5m to boost the capacity, efficiency and productivity of their supply chain capacity. The first round of grants is open for farmers, feedlotters and processors in the sheep supply chain, as well as other businesses that are or will in future be involved in the supply chain. Infrastructure providers such as lairage and cold storage providers that have involvement in the sheep supply chain are also eligible under the first round of grants. The Rural Business Development Corporation will administer the grants program which aims to increase WA’s onshore processing supply chain capacity. Applicants must display matching co-contributions to be eligible. The grants program is open from August 27 to October 22 and available to apply through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. It marks the first $40m of the Federal Labor Government’s $139m transition package announced last year, with other programs to help different sectors transition away from the WA-focused trade — including shearers, truck drivers and rural communities. Ms Jarvis said WA’s RBDC — which exists to administer approved assistance schemes — would roll out the Supply Chain Capacity Program on behalf of the Commonwealth Government. She said the Federal Government would decide how “other tranches” of the $139m package would be delivered. “The Supply Chain Capacity Program, as part of the Australian Government’s broader sheep transition plan, will assist West Australian sheep producers and supply chain businesses to adjust to the ending of the live sheep exports by sea and help mitigate the impact of the change,” Ms Jarvis said. “The program will incentivise investment on-farm and processing supply chain capital infrastructure, to build confidence in the sheep industry and capture future opportunities.” Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the dispersal of the live sheep export transition package will ensure the future of Australia’s sheep industry. “The funding opening today will mean the industry can capitalise on consumer demand in Australia and overseas for high-quality and ethically produced food and fibre,” she said. “This funding has been co-designed with industry to deliver the best possible investments as they move away from live sheep exports by sea, and I encourage WA farmers to take advantage of these new opportunities.” The $40m funding boost comes as WA abattoirs continue to struggle to keep up with the volume of sheep needing to be processed after a tough few years for the processing industry. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese first took a plan to ban live sheep exports to the May 2022 Federal election and again at the May 2025 Federal election, with legislation now passed and the ban set to come into effect from May 2028 despite a WA-led campaign to save the trade. The State’s trucking industry is among the many sectors still waiting to hear how their share of the $139m will be allocated or rolled out, with $1.5m set aside to help livestock transporters affected by the upcoming ban. A media release touting what has been called the Livestock Transport Industry Transition Program was released this week but failed to disclose grant guidelines or application details, just saying grants would open in the “fourth quarter of 2025”. Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of WA president Ben Sutherland, of Ravensthorpe, said the ban was already having a “devastating” impact on rural communities with more than 90 per cent of all sheep exported from Australia hailing from WA. Mr Sutherland met with the Federal Government’s transition advocate Dr Chris Rodwell last week to “push for a better deal for its members” but said it was a fight that was “still ongoing”. It is understood the trucking-focus program would put forward grants of up to $40,000 for businesses, but there would be a requirement for industry co-contribution. “Little detail was provided about the package . . . and we are still waiting to learn what the criteria is to apply for the grants,” Mr Sutherland said.