Meat & Livestock Australia

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) represents Australia's cattle, sheep (and goat) producers.

Brexit lobbying

Meat & Livestock Australia sees Brexit as an opportunity to increase exports to the UK. According to reports, Australia's meat industry is 'licking its lips at the prospect of a boost in exports as London scrambles to sign free-trade deals across the globe'. Australian meat is subject to small quota volumes and a 20% duty coming into the EU.

In early 2017 MLA launched a 'major campaign' to increase UK market access, including boosting its team in London and increasing its cooperation with the Australian government.

MLA managing director Richard Norton held a series of meetings in London in April/May 2017, including with the National Farmers' Union.

One of the points highlighted by MLA in its bid to get the UK to open up to more Australian meat, is the amount of land owned by UK investors in Australia, the majority of which is used for livestock production, which would benefit from being able to increase exports to the UK. According to MLA, UK-based individuals and investment funds are by far the largest foreign investors in Australian agricultural land, holding just over half (27.5 million hectares) of the land owned by foreign investors.

MLA is considering deploying some of these 'big name' overseas landholders to help champion Australia’s export case against quota restrictions and non-quota barriers, including bans on hormone growth promotants in beef. They include

They include big name northern beef producers such as Consolidated Pastoral Company, owned by London private equity giant Terra Firma - its vice chair is Justin King, former boss of Sainsbury's; the UK Pension Protection Fund’s investment in North Australia Pastoral Company; and the British-Australian businessman and Conservative Party donor, Michael Hintze’s MH Premium Farms’ holdings in NSW and Queensland.

Lobbyists

• Hume Brophy.

Contacts

Website: www.mla.com.au