Jackie Jarvis in talks with sheep industry after Federal Government passes live sheep trade ban

Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis is in talks with farmers this week after the Federal Government banned live exports — and the minster has not ruled out stumping up State cash after Commonwealth transition support was lashed as inadequate. The Albanese Government’s bill to end the live sheep trade by sea in 2028 passed the Senate last week and has been coupled with a $107 million transition package. The WA Labor Government has opposed ending the trade and Ms Jarvis has called on her Federal counterparts to increase support — claiming about $40M of the package was for ‘business as usual’ activities such as Austrade and resource staffing to implement the phaseout. Ms Jarvis told media on Tuesday that she was meeting with farming industry groups this week. “I’ve already started those meetings to better understand their needs and to understand what on-the-ground support they’re looking for,” she said. “So I’ll take my leave from industry.” Asked if the State Government would add to the Federal transition funding, Ms Jarvis said she would speak to farmers about what the Government could do to help. “Nothing is going to compensate us for the fundamental change to our farming systems,” she said. “What I want to understand from industry groups is what we can do on the ground to help their businesses transition. “I’m still having positive talks with (Federal Agriculture Minister Murray) Watt. I want to make sure that we still have a viable sheep industry. “I want to make sure that we still have a viable wool industry, and that we’re able to build our meat processing sector and export markets for Western Australia.” Sheep farmers in WA — the only State that still exports live sheep by sea — claim to have raised a significant war-chest to unseat Labor MPs at the next Federal election. Senator Watt has defended the ban as delivering on Labor’s election promise ahead of the 2022 poll and said the transition package was appropriate for an “industry that is already in long-term decline”. Premier Roger Cook has described it has “ not good enough” and called on the Federal Government “to come to the table with more funding to help WA farmers”.