What is the red meat integrity system?

Australia's red meat integrity system ensures the livestock industry can stand by what it sells.

Incorporating food safety measures, quality assurance and traceability from paddock to plate, the system protects the disease-free status of Australian red meat and underpins the marketing of our products as clean, safe and natural. Integrity Systems is responsible for managing and delivering the industry’s world leading on-farm assurance and through-chain traceability programs.

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Integrity Systems

Integrity Systems was launched following a recommendation by industry and government in 2015 through their SAFEMEAT partnership—that one company be given responsibility for delivering a fully integrated integrity system. Integrity Systems was established in 2017. Through the integrity programs of NLIS, LPA and NVD, the Integrity Systems can ensure the food safety and traceability of Australian red meat for our domestic and international customers and protect Australia's access to over 100 export markets.

Stakeholders

Policy and strategy for the red meat industry is guided by the Meat Industry Strategic Plan, developed through the Red Meat Advisory Council. Beneath this umbrella sit the peak industry councils; Australian Lot Feeders’ Association, Cattle Council of Australia, Sheep Producers of Australia, and Goat Industry Council of Australia. Together, these peak councils provide direction and monitor the performance of service provider entities, which include Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and its business unit, Integrity Systems.

MLA delivers marketing, research and development of products and services to the cattle, sheep and goat sectors, with the core purpose of fostering the prosperity of the red meat industry. In comparison, Integrity Systems works collaboratively with state, territory and federal governments as well as a range of stakeholders that are part of the red meat integrity system to protect the disease-free status of Australian red meat.

Managing compliance

Managing compliance within the integrity programs relies upon the collaboration between Integrity Systems and the red meat integrity system stakeholders.

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is a compulsory program, legislated in each state and territory. Compliance with NLIS requirements is managed by individual state and territory authorities, in collaboration with Integrity Systems. Compliance within the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program is managed by Integrity Systems, incorporating the services of AUS-MEAT – who conduct both random and targeted on-farm audits.

Livestock Production Assurance (LPA)

The LPA program is the Australian industry’s on-farm assurance program underpinned by seven key elements covering food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity. It provides evidence of livestock history and on-farm practices when transferring livestock through the value chain. The LPA National Vendor Declaration (LPA NVD) is the declaration communicating the food safety status of every animal as it moves through the supply chain.

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National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)

NLIS is Australia’s system for the identification and traceability of cattle, sheep and goats. The NLIS combines three elements to enable the lifetime traceability of animals: a visual or electronic ear tag, a Property Identification Code (PIC) for identification of a physical location, and an online database to store and correlate the data.

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National Vendor Declaration (NVD)

The NVD is a legal document that communicates the food safety and treatment status of livestock every time they move between properties, saleyards and processors. Completed by LPA-accredited producers on paper or through the free electronic NVD (eNVD), it records details such as chemical treatments, withholding periods and time on property. NVDs are key to Australian red meat traceability and market access.

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FAQs

Integrity System’s investment into initiatives and programs allows Australian producers to access as much market opportunities for red meat products as possible. Australia’s red meat industry is an $80 billion industry, and we export our products into more than 100 markets globally. Australia needs to be able to provide an assurance to our consumers that the product they are consuming is safe to eat, ethical, and traceable from property of birth to processing.

Producers who manage food safety, biosecurity, and animal welfare on-farm contribute to the trust that our consumers have in our product. Every little bit that every individual does adds value to the industry as a whole.

As most livestock eventually end up in the food chain, all red meat producers must be able to provide an assurance of food safety to Australian and international customers. Hence, the integrity system applies regardless of property size or the number of sheep, cattle, or goats produced. These requirements also apply to small landholders transferring animals to be sold or moved onto another property. ISC recognizes that smaller producers do not interact with the integrity system as regularly as larger producers. There are a range of resources available online that will help you meet your requirements, and small producers are more than welcome to contact us for assistance.

The eNVD has the MSA forms already built in, so you are accessing the most up-to-date version. You can also log on to myMSA directly, download a form and print it. You can also join your MSA account into your myMLA account, so it is easy to switch between the two if you want to purchase a book but also print out your myMSA forms.

Everyone in the red meat supply chain can sign up for the monthly Integrity Systems newsletter, Integrity Matters. Subscribe to Integrity Matters.

Red meat integrity system

What is the red meat integrity system?

Integrity Systems

FAQs