Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)

Concern about the environment amongst Australians may be at the lowest levels since 2007, with 68% claiming to have some concern about the environment, down from 78% in 2007 . However Australia's livestock producers aren't driven by shifting public opinion but rather a belief that in the long-term sustainably managing the environment is good for Australia and their business.

In the lead up to World Environment Day on June 5, Australia's cattle and sheep farmers are highlighting to urban Australia what they do every day to manage the environment, whilst producing some of the world's best beef and lamb.

Meat & Livestock Australia Chairman, Don Heatley, said that whilst community concern for the environment isn't as high as it once was, that Australians have a growing interest in knowing more about where and how their food is produced.

"Maybe it's the increase in cooking shows or celebrity chefs, regardless it's great that people increasingly want to know how, where and who is producing their food.

"Australian cattle and sheep farmers are recognised around the world as leaders in producing some of the best red meat and leading the way in environmental farming practices," Mr Heatley said.

Meat and Livestock Australia is an industry organisation that has over 47,000 farmer members across Australia, most of which are family run businesses. Together the industry manages nearly 50% of Australia's land mass and is committed to managing this resource sustainably.

"Our industry has a great story to tell about how we produce food - it's natural, environmentally sustainable and we produce a quality product Australians love to eat.

"Cattle and sheep graze on arid and semi-arid land and convert grasses unpalatable to humans to a highly nutritious protein source for consumption. Some people don't realise that only about 7% of Australia is arable and suitable for growing vegetables or crops - so grazing livestock is the most efficient use for the majority of our land to produce nutritious food for a growing population," Mr Heatley said.

Mr Heatley said that increasingly farmers that are managing the environment well are at the same time improving the performance of their business.

"By focussing on sustainable practices, farmers are seeing that their productivity is also benefiting. Best practice cattle and sheep farming puts natural resource management at the centre of all operations.

"Today 94% of Australian farms practice good natural resource management . By managing pastures and livestock well, farmers are able to help reduce water use, minimise erosion, manage waste, and maintain healthy soils, which in turn further improves environmental sustainability and productivity," Mr Heatley said.

Australia's red meat production systems also have one of the lowest carbon emission profiles of red meat producing countries, according to a recent life cycle assessment undertaken by the University of New South Wales.

In fact, the Australian beef industry has reduced carbon emissions by 5.3% since 1990, whilst increasing beef production by 25.4%.

Australian beef and sheep producers are committed to seeking continual improvement and through Meat & Livestock Australia, in collaboration with the Australian Government, invest over $13 million annually in research and development to further improve the environmental performance of the industry.