Changes have been made to the Pasturefed Cattle Assurance
System standards and rules, making it easier for beef producers to participate
in the certification program.
Since its launch in April of 2013 more than 200 certified
producers have become pasture-fed certified and many more are undertaking
on-farm audits to prove claims their beef is pasture or grass raised and also
to meet optional additional modules of antibiotic-free and GMO-free.
Teys Australia [ in SE Queensland], which had been the first
processor to commit to the program, is now offering a 70 cents a kilogram
premium for eligible cattle above the Meat Standards Australia grid price for
August delivery - and has just extended its premium to 10c/kg for non-MSA grade
cattle.
PCAS coordinator Lisa Cotter said it had been a great first
year. Producers who had been early adopters were reaping the benefits of sometimes
more than $200 a steer above MSA
prices.
The Cattle Council of Australia - which had developed the
program - had recently reviewed the standards and rules in line with United
States Department of Agriculture updates with which the certification scheme
was closely aligned, with experience from the first 12 months of the program. Given the surge in Australian beef exports to
the US this is a great plus, allowing marketing entry to claiming grass fed stature
– quite a marketing plus - in the US retail market.
There were three objectives going forward in the program.
1 . Standards need to evolve over time while
still ensuring they still meet the market requirements
2
They need to be practical at the producer level
and after the first year, some changes could be made to better meet this need whilst maintaining the integrity of the
program
3
They must
continue to reflect the international standards.
Standards and rules now clearly stated that the use of anthelmintics
such as Ivermectin for the control of internal parasites was permissible [that
is a big plus and definitely acceptable]. All topical treatments such as pinkeye ointments and
back-liners were permissible to also meet the antibiotic-free module.
One of the major changes was in how life time traceability
of cattle was achieved and defined.
The NLIS database was no longer the sole method to
demonstrate lifetime traceability, taking into account many properties running
sophisticated on-farm databases eg Practical Systems Stockbook software.
Producers must continue to show they are meeting their legal
requirements of moving cattle on-and-off the NLIS database, but for example if a
breeder who never trades cattle but had a ghost mob where a few animals had not
been transferred, or where there were a couple of animals had tags fallen out, there
can be problems.
Animals which lost their NLIS button could now still be
classified as PCAS eligible if producers could prove it complied, through other
management systems.
PCAS had no restrictions on producers yard-weaning their
calves, with the guidelines only stipulating that animals must not be confined
for more than 20 days each year.
Cereal grain at weaning is not permitted and has been an
issue for some beef producers, but a lot of producers have been able to
supplement by feeding hay, silage and cotton seed or canola meal, or a supplement
mineral mix, depending on what is the most applicable for their business, to
overcome weaning stress while maintaining certification.
A few producers have committed to the program in the NT, but
with the live export market so buoyant, numbers moving to abattoirs have been
low. The program offers some real
potential for the NT and indeed the whole northern cattle industry, by
capitalising on the consumer demand for grass fed beef, especially if a premium
price can be realised for the effort..
Every dollar helps producer viability and this option can
add some dollars at sale time for stock going to an abattoir.
As consultants to industry we can assist with producers
achieving these Pasturefed Cattle Assurance quality standards.
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