Primary Industry Ministerial Council (PIMC) Meat Marketing Working Group

Terms of Reference

The working group will:

1. Confirm existing State and Territory meat description standards, including compliance and enforcement requirements, for:

i. Domestic slaughtering and processing establishments (processors)
ii. Meat retailers (retailers)


2. Consider the costs and beefits (including examination of complence and enforcement issues) of:

i. applying the Western Australian complience regime for lamb standards nationally
ii. making AUS-MEAT accreditation mandatory (including equivalence requirments for imported meat products) for processors
iii. making AUS-MEAT descriptions mandatory for retailers (including whether these srtandards are suitable for consumers)


3. Consider the costs and benefits (including examination of complience and enforcement issues) of a system such as Meat Standards Australia as a basis for:

i. establishing a voluntary meat labelling code for processors
ii. establishing a voluntary meat labelling code for retailers, which is suitable for consumers
iii. establishing a voluntary meat labelling system for processors
iv. establishing a voluntary meat labelling code for retailers, which is suitable for consumers


4. Consider any relevant reports and publications about meat labelling, particularly the joint Sheepmeat Council of Australia and the Autralian Meat Industry Council report on lamb descriptions, and theinterem and final reports of the Senate Standing Committee on rural and Regional Affairs and Transport inquiry into meat marketing.


5. To refer issues to relevant regulatory bodies, particularly Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, and peak industry bodies that the working group believes may be affected by, or be able to contribute meaningfully to, their considerations. 


6. To provide progress reports and any recommendations to the Industry Development Committee (IDC), the Primary Industries Standing Committee (PISC) and the Primary Industries Ministrial Council (PIMC) as they convene.