Fed: Red meat industry releases blueprint to 2015

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2009
Fed: Red meat industry releases blueprint to 2015

CANBERRA, Aug 20 AAP - The red meat industry has released its blueprint for the next
five years as debate continues over the inclusion of agriculture in any future emissions
trading scheme.

The meat industry strategic plan outlines strategic themes for the industry, including
sustainability, market access, skills, innovation and infrastructure.

The document emphasises "responsible custodianship of the environment", including the
welfare of animals.

"I really want to pay credit to the industry on this," Agriculture Minister Tony Burke
told the gathering at Parliament House on Thursday.

Mr Burke said there was a good news story to tell about animal welfare in the chilled
meats sector and the live animal exports sector.

"It is about time that we give credit where credit's due, that Australian farmers do
lead the world in animal welfare."

The strategic plan acknowledges that consumers and governments expect high environmental
and ethical standards from the industry and says it is important the industry ensures
red meat is recognised as a sustainable product of choice.

But the launch couldn't escape the controversy over the future role of agriculture
in any emissions trading system.

The government has said it would make a decision in 2013 about whether to include agriculture
in the ETS in 2015.

Outspoken Liberal senator Bill Heffernan criticised the industry document for not tackling
the issue.

He said it did not include "one word" about how the agriculture industry would cope
with an emissions trading scheme.

The industry was setting itself up for an ambush by the government in 2013, Senator Heffernan.

"Because that's when they say `we'll tell you whether you're in, we'll implement whatever
we tell you in 2013 in 2015'", he told reporters.

The government's white paper also says that if agriculture isn't included by 2013,
"we're still going to tax you on the debit side in the equivalent of what it would have
been when you were in," he said.

"I would have thought someone would have politely raised that today," Senator Heffernan
said, adding that an answer was needed for the agriculture sector.

"It's not good enough."

Senator Heffernan said it was time for farmers "to march".

"And that's what I'll be calling for in the next few weeks.

Mr Burke said the government hoped farmers would eventually be part of the nation's
move to a low carbon economy.

"Ultimately, whether inside or out of the scheme, we want to be able to move to a low-carbon
economy and we want farmers to be able to be part of that," Mr Burke said.

AAP srj/dep/

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