Fed: Industry bright for future of lamb

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-1999
Fed: Industry bright for future of lamb

CANBERRA, Dec 21 AAP - Australia's lamb industry was looking brighter despite the controversial
United States decision to impose damaging tariffs, the Sheepmeat Council of Australia
said today.

There was opportunity for market growth with the federal government's two-year $6 million
Lamb Industry Development Program (LIDP), it said.

"The program's key objective is to help ensure that by 2002, when US tariffs are lifted,
the Australian lamb industry is in a stronger position, in terms of producer returns and
lamb export value, than it was before the US imposed its restrictions," Council president
Bill Whitehead said in a statement.

"Importantly, programs funded under this program add to rather than duplicate industry
programs managed by Meat and Livestock Australia.

"In seeking to lift producer returns the LIDP will be allocated to subtantial marketing
programs, involving all supply chain participants to achieve a quantum change in the outlook
for the industry in selected markets."

Building demand for Australian lamb through a grants-based program presented producers
with an excellent opportunity to fast track growth paths, he said.

"Collectively the industry can develop market opportunity, we only need to look at
what happened over the last decade in the US under the Fresh Australian Range Lamb program.

"Even more recently export opportunities into Asia for the pork industry were generated
by some luck but also to a large degree as a result of marketing funds being provided
under the similar Pork Industry Development Program.

"The Australian lamb industry is looking to emulate this success."

AAP lm/jg/bdm

KEYWORD: US LAMB (CARRIED EARLIER)

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