Farmers hit back at Agriculture Minister’s plan to ban live sheep exports claiming WA will lose 3000 jobs

Farmers have hit back at Agriculture Minister Murray Watt’s plan to ban live sheep exports, saying it is “devastating” and have pledged never to engage in government discussions about shutting down the industry. In a joint letter, the leaders of 25 peak farming organisations told Senator Watt the Albanese Government’s policy would cost 3000 jobs in WA, The Australian reported. The letter was sent to Senator Watt as he prepares to announce a consultation process about how the policy will be carried out. “The policy represents a red line that cannot be crossed. We will never support legitimate agricultural industries being closed for political reasons, or to suit activist agendas,” the letter said. Signatories to the letter include the Australian Livestock Exporters Council, Sheep Producers Australia, National Farmers Federation and the Australian Lot Feeders Association. Before last year’s election, Labor recommitted to its previous policy developed in response to the deaths of about 2400 sheep on a ship from Fremantle to the Middle East in 2017. After the election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would not implement the policy within the current term. Rural Export and Trading general manager Murray Frangs, whose Peel Feedlot in Mardella, south of Perth sent a shipment of sheep to the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, said the government’s stance was “confronting and devastating”. “The industry has spent years updating and improving operating practices to the satisfaction of the government, the regulator and the general public and proudly stands by the best practice industry that is far superior to anywhere in the world, and well above any domestic requirement as well, but this is all ignored,” Mr Frangs said. A spokeswoman for Senator Watt acknowledged the impact on farmers, businesses and communities. “In doing so, we will continue to engage constructively with industry about opportunities that exist outside the live sheep export trade, including an expansion of onshore processing,” she said. “We already export around 50 times more sheep meat than live sheep and new markets offer even more opportunities for our farmers and processors.” Export numbers have decreased since 2016 from 1.76 million live sheep to 662,630 in 2021. Most were exported to Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Israel, bringing in about $85m. Australia’s live export trade was worth $1.3bn in 2021-22, mainly due to cattle exports. Since 2017, the industry has revamped its practices and provides regular reports to parliament about death rates on export vessels.