BeefUp forums to be held across the north

Beef producers across Northern Australia have the chance to tap into industry insights and practical tools to improve their businesses at this year’s Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) BeefUp Forums.

The one-day BeefUp Forums are being held throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia, featuring a range of guest speakers addressing regionally-relevant issues as well as broader beef industry topics.

Hosted by MLA and supported by the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC), the events are also designed to seek direct input from producers to help drive the future direction of levy-payer funded research, development and adoption (RD&A) programs.

MLA General Manager – Producer Consultation and Adoption, Michael Crowley, said the producer consultation session that will be held during each BeefUp Forum will give beef producers the opportunity to identify RD&A priorities that are relevant to their region.

“The priorities are collated by NABRC and inform MLA’s R&D investment through MLA’s annual call,” Mr Crowley said.

“One of the projects that is now underway as a result of these regional consultation sessions is investigating alternatives to pesticides to control buffalo fly, while another is developing a single-shot vaccine to sterilise female cattle, as an alternative to spaying.”

Producers have identified priorities across six different investment areas, including: Reproduction & Breeding, Nutrition & Growth, Grazing Land Management, Human Capital, Animal Health & Welfare, and Information Technology.

The BeefUp Forums will be held on the following dates:

The cost to attend the BeefUp Forums is $20 and includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a barbecue dinner. Registration is essential.