• Australia’s feedlot sector has a world-leading quality assurance program
• How to remain at the forefront of consumer trust to ensure market access
• One global analyst says the Australian industry is set to reap the benefits of market dynamics
• Plenty on offer at the Entegra Guest Lounge
ONE global food integrity expert has praised Australia’s feedlot quality assurance program, crediting it for market access benefits and assisting the entire global beef industry’s social licence.
But the US-based Centre for Food Integrity Chief Executive Charlie Arnot warned Australia not to rest on its laurels.
He said the 30-year-old National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) must continually evolve to ensure Australia is at the forefront of the market.
Charlie Arnot told the national feedlot conference, BeefEx, in Brisbane, Queensland that the NFAS- an independently audited quality assurance program – was a “game-changer” for Australia’s feedlot industry.
“The absolute best benefit (of the NFAS) was it created a culture of quality management within the feedlot sector in Australia, which means you now have a culture that anticipates what’s coming,” he said.
“You have a culture that’s willing to address these issues, you have a culture that’s willing to say ‘we need to continue to evolve and change’, and culture eats strategy for breakfast every single time.”
The Centre for Food Integrity represents a diverse group of members across the food supply chain and helps them maintain consumer trust.
Exporting more than 60 per cent of its product, Charlie said the Australian beef industry must develop a global social licence strategy.
And the first step is awareness of world issues.
“Monitor emerging issues in key markets, and not just those where you export today, but those that have influence on others,” he said.
“So, you want to monitor what’s going on in the EU, you want to monitor what’s going on in the UK, monitor what’s going on in the US, because all of that can impact global policy.”
He also advised the Australian lot feeding sector to engage “thought leaders’ to understand and evaluate the evolution of issues and the risk of these issues to the industry.
“This is where you go to those external stakeholders, in some of those markets to say, what is your perspective on the proposed Danish carbon tax (for example)? What is your perspective on what’s going to happen? How do we continue to monitor that so we can be best prepared and then evolve the NFAS, as needed, to maintain social licence and protect market access. You have a history of doing that. This (NFAS) is not the same scheme you had in 1994 right? It continues to evolve and improve to be able to address the issues of the day.”
Charlie also suggested the feedlot sector needed to build an “industry-wide” understanding of today’s rapidly changing environment and evolving global social expectations and risks.
He said taking these steps could help prevent the industry becoming the next “political campaign target”
Australian beef producers mark 2026 in your calendar – that’s when prices are forecast to kick, and the industry will reap the true benefit of favourable global market dynamics.
That’s according to US intensive animal industries consultant Joe Kerns.
He told a crowd of about 800 at Australia’s premier feedlot conference BeefEx in Brisbane, Queensland today that world beef supplies were tightening due to ongoing dry conditions in key global production nations – something that hasn’t happened for at least 60 years.
“This liquidation of animals is going to occur sometime next year, and that’s what’s going to set the stage for this appreciation and prices here and we’re going to tighten-up the global supplies, and I think it’s going to continue on,” he said.
“2026 and 2027 look really, really good.”
Joe forecast Angus prices of 785 cents a kilogram liveweight and crossbreds to hit 657c/kg liveweight in 2026, with these values as much as 100c/kg liveweight more than the recent price peaks of 2022.
These price hikes will coincide with an Australian slaughter estimate decline to 5.5 million cattle in 2026 – the lowest in at least the past nine years – and about 22 per cent less than 2023 slaughter numbers, Joe told the conference.
The world view for the Australian beef industry “almost could not be better”, according to Joe.
He forecast “huge profits” coming for Australian producers based on many market drivers such as dry conditions in the US, Brazil and Mexico, the EU policy “killing all of animal agriculture” and resilient beef demand.
There’s also limited opportunity for substitution of beef in global markets, according to Joe and a “comfortable grain situation” despite drought and war – all of these factors will help increase the price of beef for producers.
Downside risks to this forecast include “an escalation of world events” causing a sudden global economic collapse hitting demand, the expansion of drought in key production areas and adding extra weight to animals.
Joe said the US slaughter weights increased an average of 10 kilograms last year and he warned this weight rise couldn’t be replicated again because industry infrastructure couldn’t handle it.
Progressive operators are seizing the opportunity to connect with the Entegra team at the Guest Lounge during BeefEx. With plenty of complimentary snacks and an inviting space to meet industry contacts, it’s the perfect spot to relax and network. The lounge is fully stocked with information on Ridgeback® shelters, offering insights into how they’re transforming feedlots across Australia. Whether you’re exploring new infrastructure options or simply catching up with peers, the Entegra lounge is the place to be. Visit us and fuel up on both ideas and snacks!
Building a Ridgeback®: The benefits outweigh the cost. The results of the Rangers Valley trial, where partially covered housing in the final 100 days boosted cattle performance – as presented by Dr Melissa George at BeefEx’s R&D session.
Visit the Entegra guest lounge at BeefEx, Brisbane. The Entegra team will be at booth 60 and 61 and available to talk through your ideas, explore concepts and share information.
