07/09/2020
Third party reports of non-compliance with the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) are seen by opponents of the trade as a sign it is not working. However, industry knows that issues do arise at times, and ESCAS is designed to ensure they are identified quickly and addressed.
In early August, Animals Australia released footage of Australian cattle being slaughtered in two abattoirs in Aceh, with video footage of handling and slaughter in a manner not in line with the standards laid out by ESCAS.
It prompted an immediate halt to supply of Australian cattle to the facilities, and the industry’s Strategic Response Group (SRG)* met to ensure that wasn’t misunderstood in Indonesia as a wider trade issue and create tension.
The total ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia in 2011, which led to the development of ESCAS, is still fresh in the minds of many industry participants in both countries. It has also been in the media recently, given the recent incident came not long after an Australian court decision that the 2011 ban was unreasonable and invalid.
For LiveCorp, the incident highlighted the need to make sure the cohort of exporter staff who have started since then understand the multi-dimensional nature of ESCAS, where all parts of the supply chain are dependent on each other to ensure standards are applied throughout.
It also brought a fresh appreciation of the tools created alongside ESCAS which are still being put to regular use, including risk assessment templates for use in-market and standard operating procedures for processes outlined by the then-new welfare standards.
*The SRG is made up of representatives of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC), LiveCorp and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).