"Our Lot Feeding industry maintains the highest possible standards for the reporting and management of environmental issues. By directly referencing codes of practice and Federal, State and Local Government requirements into NFAS, we ensure that the industry is environmentally sustainable in an economically feasible way. By working with Federal and State Governments, environmental groups and catchment management authorities, and by educating feedlot managers about their roles and responsibilities, ALFA ensure that environmental practices in Australian feedlots exceed community expectations" Stephen Reynolds, ALFA Environment Committee Chair, 2008

About Feedlot Environmental Management– For Consumers

Feedlots comply with the highest standards of environmental management, and no feedlot is constructed without an Environmental Impact Statement approved by the relevant government authority.. ALFA is proactively improving the industry’s environmental performance by carrying out research and development so that it not only meets but exceeds legislative requirements in the area. As an integrated part of the beef industry, lot feeding opens up new production options for the variable rangeland beef industry, which allows for improved management on pastures, especially during times of drought. Producers have a wider range of management choices, not forcing them to choose between healthy pastures and healthy cattle. By doing so, the lot-feeding sector contributes to the health of native Australian grasslands and ecosystems. Despite some misconceptions about the sustainability of lot feeding, the sector maintains extremely high standards of environmental management, recording and compliance checking, and indeed has pioneered the inclusion of these requirements within its National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme.

About Feedlot Environmental Management – For Industry

As an industry Peak Council it is ALFA's role to provide leadership, formulate policies, set strategic directions and agree to overall levels of funding for industry projects. In this industry leadership role ALFA recognizes that our feedlots must remain responsive to community expectations. With the number and size of feedlots across Australia increasing, ALFA appreciates that intensive farming brings an inherent duty to ensure minimum intrusion on the quality of life of members of the community, and a duty to prevent adverse impacts on the environment. Because of this duty, ALFA has led the formation of the National Guidelines For Beef Cattle Feedlots in Australia. This code of practice not only guides the feedlot industry towards practices that are sustainable but is a requirement for accreditation under the annually audited National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS).

The national guidelines provide the framework of acceptable principles for the establishment and operation of feedlots in Australia. By ensuring we are proactive and self-regulatory, the industry is able to avoid the imposition of excessive legislation upon the industry. On behalf of members, ALFA lobbies government agencies to ensure that environmental legislation is based on genuine science, is not impractical, imposes prohibitive costs or does not reflect the environmental risk of the industry.

Climate change

The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) whilst concerned about the impacts of climate change in the long term is more concerned that Government policies to address the issue may be cost prohibitive, unfairly target the industry or place it at a significant disadvantage to our competitors in domestic and export markets.

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Water

The reduction in water availability due to the continuing drought and concern that seasonal conditions are indicative of climate change have led to increased focus on water in the Australian feedlot industry. The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) as the industry’s peak body is eager to ensure that the sector has access to a supply of reliable, affordable and good quality water.

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States and Territories Agencies

Contact the ALFA Secretariat for more information