Farmers say inquiry into live sheep export ban impact on NSW a disappointment

Farming groups have slammed the findings of a NSW government inquiry into the impact of the live sheep export ban on the state after it delivered just one recommendation.

The parliamentary inquiry heard fears that sheep prices for Australia’s eastern state producers could drop by up to 14% over two years while the live export of sheep by sea was being phased out.

Federal Parliament passed legislation in July last year to ban live sheep exports by sea by 2028.

Western Australia is the only state that still exports sheep by sea, primarily for slaughter and consumption in the Middle East.

The NSW inquiry, established in July 2024, also heard concerns about the welfare of sheep being exported live by boat.

Inquiry chair and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MLC Mark Banasiak said key stakeholders, including animal welfare lobby groups and peak body NSW Farmers, gave “polarised views”.

“It was a very emotionally charged inquiry”, he said.

“There was a bit of conflicting evidence between what the Department [of Primary Industries and Regional Development] was saying and what they thought the impact was going to be, and what NSW Farmers thought the impact was going to be.

“So rather than trying to make a judgement call on whose evidence was correct we made that one recommendation.”

The recommendation, handed down this week, was:

“That the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development actively monitor industry trends to identify any impacts of the phase-out of the live sheep exports by sea on New South Wales, to and beyond 2028. In reporting its observations, the department should also identify potential measures to respond to any impacts.”

“According to the department they already do this, in a sense,” Mr Banasiak said.

“They already monitor sale yards, already monitor restocking numbers and fluctuations, so it would largely be maybe a stepping up or ratcheting up of whether that needs more resourcing.”

More than 8 million sheep were traded at NSW sale yards in the 2023-24 financial year according to Meat and Livestock Australia.

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin described the decision as a bitter disappointment for farmers.

Its vice president and sheep farmer Rebecca Reardon said the lack of action would hit farmers hard.

“They’ve failed to recognise that there is going to be an impact. The sheep trade in Western Australia is very closely interlinked with New South Wales,” she said.

“When Western Australia has to restructure there is gong to be a glut of sheep coming onto the market as they need to put those sheep into other markets or destock.”

Ms Reardon said an increase in supply domestically would reduce prices for farmers.

The Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) also opposes the decision to ban live exports.

Its president and Nutrien Wagga Wagga livestock manager Peter Cabot said shutting down live sheep exports from Australia created animal welfare issues domestically.

“Let’s not lose sight that there will be sheep crossing the Nullarbor in the middle of summer because of this,” Mr Cabot said.

He said the impact on the Australian sheep market would be huge.

“All those sheep now have to be processed in Australia. We can’t process enough of those already, and then there is the fact that we’re going to lose all those markets over there that have been buying live sheep,” he said.

“They don’t want a frozen product.”

Mr Cabot said reducing live export market access would also lead to a downturn in sheep prices domestically.

“I think for the industry to continue to prosper we certainly need this market open,” he said.

The federal Coalition has pledged to overturn the ban if it wins the upcoming election.

NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders said the inquiry’s single recommendation was not good enough.

“Farmers are all extremely concerned about the market impact, the ongoing drought impact, and generational impact that ban would have,” he said.

When contacted for comment by ABC News, NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty referred the question to the federal government.