Inquiry told live-ex ban to cost NSW farmers $125m as advertising spend irks exporters

NSW Farmers has warned that the banning of the live export of sheep by sea could drop the value of the state's sheep and lamb sales by $125 million in just two years.

The analysis, presented at a NSW Parliament inquiry on Wednesday, showed the impact of the trade ban would reach far beyond the west coast, with the sheep market in the eastern states soon to feel the ongoing effects.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin reiterated: "Switching off this market access will have serious consequences right across the country, and that includes NSW."

“Once the trade ban takes effect, NSW sheep and lamb prices could take a 14% hit over just two years, and in times following drought, our industry will suffer without the ability to draw on the west coast to restock their sheep flocks," Mr Martin said.

“Domestic feed grain and fodder supplies will also face price declines, with fewer sheep to feed, and there will also be shearer shortages due to the trade shutdown to boot.”

Mr Martin said ongoing federal government support to assist producers through the industry shutdown was also drastically inadequate.

“While current federal funding for the phaseout lightly touches on supports for domestic oversupply and processing, we have serious questions as to how this will sufficiently support producers and supply chains,” Mr Martin said.

“If the federal government’s saying this shutdown won’t affect our state, then why are they spending tens of thousands of dollars on NSW radio ads telling producers to prepare themselves for the end of the trade?”

The submission came at the same time as the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) slammed the federal government’s new advertising campaign about the phase out of live sheep by sea as "wasteful and unnecessary".

ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said the ad blitz was not targeted in any way and was wasteful, with radio ads being played in regions that don’t export live sheep by sea, such as Innisfail in Far North Queensland, Wollongong and Tasmania.

“These ads are a colossal waste of taxpayer money. They are using government funds to advertise a program no one in industry called for and that will have no benefit to anyone in the supply chain, with the exception of expensive consultants in Canberra,” Mr Harvey Sutton said.

“Not only is the government wasting money to shut down a legitimate and well run trade, but it is also spending taxpayers’ money to advertise about it!

“To do this right before Christmas when WA farmers and rural small businesses are already feeling the pinch of inflation is callous, even for this government.

“Rather than listen to people’s concerns and walk back this harmful legislation, the Albanese Government has chosen to indiscriminately spray ads around without any regard to them even reaching those they are intended for.”