Live export: Federal Agriculture Department launches probe into alleged ESCAS breaches

Federal authorities are investigating two live export companies amid allegations by animal activists that Australian sheep are being sold and slaughtered outside approved supply chains in Oman. The probe relates to at least 14 alleged breaches of the Federal Government’s Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS), according to the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry confirmed it received a complaint from activist group Animals Australia on the night of May 28. A DAFF spokeswoman said Animals Australia then provided “supporting evidence” on May 31, but would not say what it was, telling Countryman it was “not appropriate for the department to comment on an ongoing investigation”. “Animals Australia alleges that live Australian sheep are available for sale and slaughter at multiple locations in Oman outside of approved ESCAS facilities,” DAFF said in a statement. “The department is taking these allegations seriously and has commenced its investigation. “The department will take immediate regulatory action to mitigate the risk of further non-compliance during the course of its investigation.” DAFF would not reveal the identity of the companies under investigation, but told Countryman it had sought a “review of their in-country controls”. An ALEC spokeswoman said these processes were under way and the department would be informed of the outcomes “immediately after completion”. “The two exporters with sheep in Oman immediately commenced reconciliations of their traceability records and deployed staff to Oman to address any potential issues on-ground,” she said. ESCAS is a strict set of regulations, introduced in 2011, which places the responsibility on exporters to ensure humane treatment of Australian livestock from arrival in the importing country up to the point of slaughter. No other country in the world has similar regulatory requirements in place. “If breaches of this system are confirmed, ALEC would stand alongside Australian producers and the community and expect full accountability as part of a fair and impartial process,” the ALEC spokeswoman said. The DAFF spokeswoman said the department published the outcomes of investigations in its quarterly ESCAS Regulatory Performance Report, which would include “information regarding the evidence that was provided to the department”. “Exporters commit to having arrangements in their supply chain to ensure compliance with Australia’s ESCAS requirements,” she said. “Where evidence demonstrates exporter supply chain arrangements have not met ESCAS requirements, the department will impose additional conditions. “These can range from extra surveillance and reporting, removing facilities from supply chains right through to loss of an exporter’s licence.” Australia exported 502,758 sheep last year according to DAFF statistics. Of these, 30,000 were sent to Oman, all of which were shipped from the Port of Fremantle. So far this year, four shipments totaling 29,500 head of sheep have been sent to Oman from Fremantle, with the latest shipment occurring in April. WA accounted for 22 of the 33 consignments of Australian sheep exported until May this year, according to DAFF figures. The remaining 11 consignments were all exported by air from NSW, Victoria and South Australia.