A record of >1,000 industry leaders – including producers, Australian exporters, Indonesian importers and government representatives from across the livestock supply chain – gathered at the 10th anniversary of the LEP Expo & Conference in Indonesia on 14–15 May 2025.
The theme for the two-day event, "Cementing Australia as the Trusted Partner for Indonesia's Meat and Cattle Industry through a Healthy, Halal, and High-Quality Livestock Ecosystem", highlighted advancements in biosecurity, animal health, halal certification, trade policies, and research and development over the past three years.
It also served as an opportunity to share perspectives and strengthen relationships, particularly amid the dynamic operating environment in the red meat and live export sector.
In his opening remarks, David Beatty (MLA Group Manager – Productivity and Animal Wellbeing) said the event is a celebration of the collaboration between the Australian and Indonesian cattle and red meat industries.
"The livestock industry remains one of the key contributors to Indonesia's economic growth.
"Despite recent challenges such as disease outbreaks, growing urbanisation, land shortage and competition from other markets, the sector is steadily growing and adapting to modern, more efficient ways of production.
"The 2025 LEP Expo presents a fantastic opportunity for livestock producers, traders, importers and exporters to meet and discuss market conditions and determine the way forward for a better and sustainable livestock trade," he said.
Australian Department of Agriculture representative Andrew O'Sullivan and Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture representative Dr Makmun reiterated the importance of the mutually beneficial trade, particularly the contribution to Indonesia and the region's food security through the provision of safe, high-quality protein.
An opportunity for an Australian contingent
During the week, the Australian contingent included representatives from the Australian Livestock Exporters' Council (ALEC), LiveCorp, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), AgForce Queensland and the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association (NTCA). They took the opportunity to hold the annual importer-exporter meeting with Indonesian representatives and also visited farms, feedlots, wet markets, processing facilities and modern retail stores.
MLA's Peter Dundon (second from left) visited one of the feedlots in West Java.
AgForce Cattle Board President, Lloyd Hick, said live export remains a substantial contributor to the northern Australian cattle industry.
"Queensland supplies a significant share of the estimated 500,000 head of cattle that are exported to Indonesia each year.
"The Indonesian market, supported by strong demand and established feedlot infrastructure, represents not only a vital outlet for our tropical breed cattle, but also provides a pricing floor that helps stabilise the broader domestic market for producers."
"There's a strong partnership between ALEC and Gapuspindo (Indonesia feedlot and cattle businesses association), which is of critical importance for cooperation between our two countries.
"Indonesia has made it clear it has a mandate to provide healthy, nutritious meals to its population. Both our industries have a critical role in delivering on that ambition and it was terrific to have discussions on the sidelines of the LEP Expo on how we can do this jointly.
"The LEP Expo was an outstanding demonstration of what Australia has to offer. The LEP is a program delivered jointly using both Australian producer and exporter levies. It was wonderful that NT and Queensland cattle producers could attend alongside over 1,000 delegates from the Australian and Indonesian industries."
According to LiveCorp CEO Wayne Collier, Australia and Indonesia have worked together for more than 30 years at the business, industry and government levels to create and build the vibrant and vital live cattle trade we see today.
"Relationships have been the cornerstone of that progress, allowing the supply chain to embrace and overcome challenges and opportunities – with great strides forward in productivity, animal welfare and most recently, biosecurity," he said.
"Over the past 10 years, the LEP Expo has played an important part in refreshing those relationships and the focus on the trade's critical food security and nutritional role at this year's event created a sense of energy and enthusiasm that will keep us growing and improving well into the future."
