IMPLEMENTATION of the new supply chain regulations for Australian live animal exports to the Middle East are on track to meet a critical upcoming deadline, according to members of a high level delegation that toured the region last week.
The delegation, led by Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig and consisting of representatives from peak industry groups, visited abattoirs and feedlots in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar ahead of a February 29 deadline for the government’s new supply chain measures that will safeguard animal welfare standards.
Minister Ludwig said importers in the Middle East were on track and working hard to ensure they complied with the new supply chain requirements, ahead of the February 29 deadline.
He said dates had been set for importers to demonstrate to prescribed regulators that they had implemented the new supply chain measures successfully, in markets like the Middle East.
The burden fell on individual exporters to ensure they complied with the new requirements and not individual countries, or export destinations, he said.
“The new system is not about the individual country or market – it’s about individual exporters,” he said.
“From February 29 onwards, any exporters wanting to export animals to [markets such as] Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey will have to clearly demonstrate they are able to meet the new supply chain assurance of tracking and traceability.”
Minister Ludwig said the new supply chain assurances were the single biggest reforms faced by the live export industry in its history, with animal welfare at the heart of the system.
Sheepmeat Council of Australia chief executive Ron Cullen said most of the Middle East supply chains for Australian sheep would meet the upcoming deadline and only a small minority would not, citing issues with auditing, paperwork and contracts.
He said there were no animal welfare issues.
“We were really impressed with what we saw there and it was a positive outcome; more than I expected.
“There was a real commitment to implementing the new supply chain conditions.”
Mr Cullen said he was confident poor tracking and traceability of Australian sheep, leaked from supply chains due to private sales and slaughter, which had caused ongoing controversy in the past, would not be repeated in future.
He said the independent audit process and public accountability of the supply chains would ensure high standards were maintained, with animal welfare central to those operations.
“These people (commercial operators) are putting their reputations on the line and they recognise that,” he said.
“It’s clear to everyone that we can’t see a repeat of what we saw in Indonesia last year or anywhere else in the past.”
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