The producer group Red Meat Action Group (RMAG), formed after the red meat crisis meeting nine months ago, is split over the best way to improve cattle farmers' returns at the farm gate.

The complex situation has seen four RMAG members - Gary Buller, Mike Introvigne, Barbara Dunnett and John Hewson - release a statement saying they are bewildered by the criticism the group is getting from organisations such as WAFarmers, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).

The RMAG said the statement was in response to articles in last week's Farm Weekly in which the group called for a judicial inquiry into the beef industry.

In that article, WAFarmers president Mike Norton and PGA meat section president Tim D'Arcy, who are also members of the RMAG, said they did not support a judicial inquiry but preferred to concentrate on securing money to fund a Beef Stocktake program which would investigate the whole of supply chain.

Red Meat Action Group chairman Gary Buller said a phone call to MLA by Mr Introvigne, which was organised by WA-based MLA board member Peter Trefort, secured the $50,000 towards a Stocktake program.

"The securing of this important funding pledge by RMAG has seen WAFarmers and PGA conveniently fail to recognise RMAG's role in securing the funding on numerous occasions," Mr Buller said.

"While the RMAG considers the Stocktake an important part of the process in developing a strategic plan for the future of WA's beef industry, it cannot expect to achieve the same outcome as a judicial inquiry.

"The stance taken by RMAG to support the Australian Beef Association's (ABA) call for a judicial inquiry into Australia's retail beef industry was not taken lightly, but a step RMAG has been calling for some time.

"The Stocktake program, while importantly investigating anomalies in the WA red meat supply chain, would not have the same power to answer the serious questions of why WA beef producers currently receive some of the lowest prices in the world while WA consumers pay some of the highest in the world."

Mr Norton and Mr D'Arcy expressed their disappointment at the RMAG's claims.

They said would continue to work to secure funding for a Beef Stocktake program, believing that was the best way forward, while refusing to be drawn into a public slanging match.

"That will achieve nothing," Mr Norton said.

"This should be resolved in house and does nothing for the current situation. It is pointless trying to sort this out in the media.

"The industry needs to work together to find solutions. It is a very complex problem we are dealing with and we have to uncover the facts and present them so that something can be done about it.

"I don't think a judicial inquiry would receive Government support."

Mr Norton said the problems the industry has are a lack of profitability and high input costs and that should be the focus.

Mr D'Arcy said before going out and making allegations the facts need to be known.

"Otherwise we will not achieve anything," he said.