It has been a devastating start to 2020 for many red meat and livestock producers.
We have witnessed catastrophic bushfires roar through millions of hectares of rural and regional Australia, much of it farm land. The number of people and animals affected, plus the amount of infrastructure and vegetation destroyed is unprecedented.
The thoughts of everyone at MLA - some of who have been directly impacted - are with those who have lost loved ones, property, land and livestock.
While we are still in the tight grip of this crisis, it is becoming increasingly clear how challenging the recovery process will be - as those who have lost everything start to look at what the future may hold.
MLA is here to support producers in any way we can. Currently the focus is rightly on helping those producers who are needing immediate assistance, with MLA in close contact with the Department of Agriculture, State government, Peak Industry Councils, State Farming Organisations and livestock producers on the ground.
Impact to livestock
The extent of the full impact to livestock is unknown and will take time to understand.
What we do know is that there are close to 80,000 property identification codes in the main affected regions.
Our latest information is that 9% of the national cattle herd live in regions that have been significantly impacted and a further 11% in regions partially impacted.
For sheep, 13% of the national flock live in regions that have been significantly impacted and a further 17% in regions partially impacted.
Over the coming days, MLA will be working with the various state bodies to gain a more accurate picture of livestock numbers affected.
If possible, reporting of stock losses to the relevant state department is encouraged, to help authorities assess the extent of the damage and determine what assistance will be required for recovery.
MLA's wholly owned subsidiary, Integrity Systems Company (ISC), is working behind the scenes to remove any non-essential regulatory requirements for affected producers related to the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program.
For producers in the affected areas that have been contacted recently to complete their LPA accreditation renewal process, this has now been deferred until further notice. Any upcoming LPA audits scheduled for the affected region will also be held off until a future date.
