Low cattle prices being realised by producers makes a mockery of claims the industry is now working in unity, says the chair of Cattle Producers Australia (CPA).
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Dr Paul Wright, who continues the cry for robust and accountable representation for producers at a national level, said record domestic retail beef prices, buoyant export beef prices and bumper monthly export tonnage were not compatible with producers receiving the lowest prices for stock since 2015.
He insists there has been little progress on whole-of-supply-chain co-operation despite recent public assurances from Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Pat Hutchinson the industry has come a long way.
"Cattle producers are now receiving the lowest prices since 2015 whilst we are seeing record tonnage being exported for record prices," Dr Wright said.
"This is evidence as to how far we have come, which is basically nowhere."
Dr Wright was responding to comments made by Mr Hutchinson to Fairfax that the industry was more cohesive than ever and that many of the recommendations to come out of the 2017 final report of a senate inquiry were out of date.
"Gone are the days of processor versus producer," Mr Hutchinson said.
"There is now widespread recognition that we have one red meat supply chain of symbiotic relationships."
However Dr Wright said if the system was working as it should, producers would not be in the position they faced now.
He said reform recommendations from past senate inquiries and the ACCC study had not been dealt with and younger cattle producers had lost faith in existing industry structures.
"Many of Australia's cattle producers are currently experiencing a major flood and drought crisis of similar proportions to the live export ban and drought crisis back in 2011," he said.
"This situation is being compounded by continuing lack of transparency in prices being paid for cattle and the red meat industry's failure to reform out-of-date organisational structures."
Dr Wright said if all the individual parts of the supply chain were working effectively, producers would not be receiving a "meagre" 26 per cent share of the retail price of beef.
"Meat & Livestock Australia reported a 10-year average of 32 per cent back in 2015 and according to USDA reports US producers are receiving 46.7 per cent," he added.
"Because it has been left to industry, we still have not gained adequate producer representation nor have we gained transparency in pricing along the supply chain."
One of the recommendations to come out of the inquiry into the effect of market consolidation on the red meat processing sector was that federal funding be provided to establish the CPA as the grass-fed cattle sector's peak industry council, replacing the Cattle Council of Australia.
Those efforts suffered a major setback taken a big blow when the Federal Government said it was not willing to provide taxpayers' money for agri-political activities.