Inside MLA’s Strategic Plan 2030: A Window into the Next Era of Australian Red Meat - by Mick Crowley, MD, MLA
MLA’s Strategic Plan 2030, launched last month, sets the direction for how MLA will grow the prosperity of our industry over the next five years. Guided by insights, driven by market demand and underpinned by innovation, the plan outlines the key priorities and partnerships needed to ensure Australian red meat remains globally competitive, environmentally sustainable and highly valued by customers and consumers.
The strategy offers a view into the organisational thinking shaping the future of Australia’s red meat sector. It reflects not only public-facing goals, but also the internal alignment between stakeholders, government, and supply chain actors that will define industry momentum in the years ahead.
Productivity and profitability will underpin the sustainability and prosperity of our great industry. By focusing on value creation and capture along the supply chain, we will deliver benefits that translate into profitability for the production sector.
At its core, the MLA strategy is insight-led and market driven, ensuring customers and consumers remain at its centre. The strategy aligns directly with the meat industry strategic plan – Red Meat 2030 – which has also undergone a mid-point review.
We will meet, and exceed, evolving customer and consumer needs. As a result, market signals including feedback and pricing will drive the supply side to respond. This approach covers beef, sheepmeat, goats and live export.
Market access remains a key lever to unlock value as we work with industry and government to further advance favourable trade agreements. We will deliver solutions for technical and non-tariff barriers reducing economic barriers to trade.
MLA remains committed to aspirational innovation goals that will be delivered through practical execution of the Strategic Plan. A balanced portfolio of cutting-edge R&D will deliver tangible and measurable outcomes. MLA’s deeply committed people will work directly with producers, researchers, service providers and the supply chain to deliver impact.
These priorities provide a useful benchmark for collaboration or knowledge exchange between regions, particularly as multiple countries pursue similar emissions and productivity targets through innovation.
Contributing to Australia’s net zero ambitions will be the guiding light for our environmental sustainability investments. As we look to accelerate the adoption of innovations that drive efficiency and productivity, we will measure the benefits through both overall emissions reduction and reducing emissions intensity per kg of production.
Productivity-led sustainability will ensure we can grow the herd and flock whilst delivering a positive environmental outcome. We will continue to invest in carbon storage and emissions avoidance initiatives with additional leverage being achieved through our partnership with the Zero Net Emissions for Agriculture CRC (ZNE CRC).
Integrity systems are fundamental to our food safety and biosecurity. Our world leading NLIS database is being redeveloped to future-proof our integrity systems whilst also significantly improving our data capability. Seamless transfer of information in the form of feedback and feeding forward information will unlock the value of our industry data.
In order to capture this opportunity, we will pursue value-based marketing to connect the supply chain and capture the value opportunity. This will be achieved through strategic partnerships to deliver incentives and pull-through demand to produce higher value livestock.
We will work together with producers, processors, brand owners, technology providers, researchers and service companies to design and deliver a value capture program. The supply chain will become a value chain benefitting all.
We have a great industry with a fantastic story to tell. As we bring our strategy to life, we will elevate our communication to ensure consumers and the broader community continue to support the vital role livestock producers and our industry deliver for the prosperity of our country.
Livestock play a vital role in delivering positive environmental outcomes and are a significant part of the solution to our national priorities. Our producers care deeply about the welfare of our livestock. Red meat plays a vital role in human health and nutrition, and we will elevate these messages through our Australian Good Meat platform.
As Managing Director of MLA, I’m proud to lead a team committed to delivering on this ambitious strategy in close partnership with our levy payers and supply chain stakeholders.
To those across the GMA network, I invite you to view this not just as a national roadmap, but as a platform for global dialogue. Australia is one part of a broader ecosystem working to navigate shared challenges – from emissions and productivity to trade access and consumer trust. I welcome the opportunity to connect, align, and exchange ideas with GMA members who see value in deeper collaboration. Together, we can strengthen the future of the red meat sector globally.