MLA’s core business is converting the $4.58 per head cattle transaction levy, the $1.27 per lamb and the 27 cents per goat transacted into marketing and R&D activities that create opportunities to improve the profitability and sustainability of Australia’s livestock producers.
The breadth of work undertaken in these areas is vast.
In recent weeks, you will have read in this newsletter about our research into fertility in northern beef herds; the research we’ve carried out on early joining of ewe lambs; the rapid increase in MSA grading numbers this past year; or the Meat Profit Day we’re running in Albany in a couple of weeks.
These few activities are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the range of opportunities that MLA seeks to create for livestock producers.
To ensure that your levy investment continues to deliver strong returns back to the farm gate, we have worked hard over the past few months to identify the 15 activity areas that we believe can make the biggest difference to your bottom line.
Some of these areas include developing business opportunities for lamb and beef in developing and key markets across the globe; R&D programs into reproductive efficiency, pasture, labour efficiency and animal health; activities to help improve and maintain access to overseas markets; and programs to support industry integrity and sustainability.
I urge you to read more about our key focus areas and plans leading up to 2015 in our updated corporate plan, which is currently open for consultation.
The plan also sets out measurable targets so that we can report back on our progress in each area.
If you read the complete list of focus areas, you'll see that they have one thing in common - they all aim to create opportunities for your business.
Some create opportunities by helping industry and government to chip away at the many trade barriers your products face in export markets, or by working with exporters, retailers and foodservice to create increased customers for your beef, sheepmeat and goat.
Others create opportunities by delivering scientific knowledge and new production techniques to help you raise more livestock, more sustainably and better targeted to the market.
Of course we will still need to invest in projects outside of these priorities, to fully harvest the outcomes from previous years of investment as well as look for the next wave of breakthroughs through basic science research.
However, overseeing MLA’s successful delivery in these 15 focus areas will be one of my main tasks as Managing Director over the next three years, and I welcome any thoughts you have on them.
Read more about MLA's focus areas and revised corporate plan
What do you think of MLA's 15 focus areas for the next three years?
What opportunities do you think they might create for your business and what do you need to do to capture that opportunity?
