Western Australia is leading a new push to drive growth in the lamb industry, says Western Australian newspaper, The Countryman. The intiative - a new partnership called LambEx 2010 - was launched this week in Perth by Agriculture Minister Terry Redman. The consortium combines members of industry and government, as well as processors, universities and Meat and Livestock Australia.
"LambEx chairman and project initiator Dawson Bradford, of Hillcroft Farms, Narrogin said his vision for LambEx was that it must bring together every sector that had capacity to influence the long-term viability of the Australian lamb industry," reports Rebecca Turner. Bradford believes that the successful industry is at risk without a united approach and that the success of the partnership would be measured by attracting producers back to the sheep industry.
"LambEx is all about bringing people together - including sectors that have not necessarily in the past been that collaborative - and linking them in an inspiring and thought-provoking event," said Bradford. "We need to reinstate confidence in sheep and lamb production. All sectors of the chain need to be profitable and to achieve that in today's market we need collaboration and motivation."
The new program has the avid support of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). MLA's director and LambEx steering committee representative, Peter Trefort "urged all primary producers - those in the industry as well as others looking to get back in - to make the most of this opportunity to gain valuable insights and information to meet their individual business goals and contribute to a secure future for the whole sheep industry," writes Turner.