European market access for beef

In 1989, the European Union (EU) banned the sale of red meat, specifically beef, from livestock raised using Hormone Growth Promotants (HGPs).

Australian farmers respect these requirements and have set up a dedicated cattle herd segregation and processing system for producing hormone-free beef for European markets.

This system – called the European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EUCAS) – traces hormone-free cattle from birth and is jointly audited by AUS-MEAT on behalf of the Australian Government and verified by EU government inspectors.

Under EUCAS, hormone-treated and hormone-free herds are completely separated to ensure that all high-quality Australian beef exported to the EU is fully traceable, and completely free from hormones.

Under the current system, only a very small percentage of Australian cattle properties are accredited to supply cattle to the EU market.

An untapped opportunity

Elizabeth Bradley, ISC’s Manager - Quality, Policy and Compliance, said the EU and the UK were both high value markets for beef products.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for producers who are prepared to establish their hormone-free status,” Elizabeth said.

“At present, the industry relies on EUCAS to demonstrate a hormone-free supply chain for properties selling beef into the EU and the UK.”

Australia’s small EUCAS-accredited herd is being used to fill the EU quota, but Elizabeth said there is opportunity to also fill the UK quota under the new Free Trade Agreement.

“We are looking at system improvements within the LPA program, where we can better assure hormone-free beef across the supply chain. The aim is to deliver hormone-free assurance, backed up by the traceability of the NLIS, and create a much larger herd that meets the EU and UK requirements.”

About EUCAS

For cattle to be exported to the EU and the UK, they must be certified as free from Hormone Growth Promotants (HGP) including oestradiol. This is managed through the EUCAS program, which is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Producers must apply for EUCAS directly to DAFF and obtain LPA accreditation to ensure access to the EU Vendor Declaration. EUCAS uses the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database to ensure that EU registered cattle are individually identifiable, with lifetime traceability.

This provides the evidence to prove they have never come into contact with other cattle, farms, feedlots, or saleyards that are not EU eligible.

A property (farm, feedlot, saleyard etc.) can be EU accredited only if it keeps its grounds free of HGP products, and HGP-treated cattle. To retain their EUCAS status, cattle can only be transferred to other EUCAS accredited properties.

Feedlots and saleyards also need to be EU accredited and can host both EUCAS and non-EUCAS cattle, but a physical separation from other animals must be maintained at all times.

EUCAS-cattle must be identifiable as such throughout the entire supply chain and lifetime traceable. Animals are also checked for eligibility before processing to ensure only meat that meets the EU requirements is exported to the EU.

This system ensures that Australian meat sold to EU markets are completely free from artificial hormones.

EU Deforestation

The EU has a new regulation coming into force on 30 December 2024 which will require beef, beef products and hides sold in the EU to be sourced from properties not subject to deforestation or degradation since 2020. EU Importers can be fined up to 4% of their annual income if they place product on the market that does not comply.

Exporters need to obtain and provide the geolocations, name and property name for each property or establishment where cattle have resided in their entire lifetime. This has implications on both EUCAS and non-EUCAS accredited cattle properties as hides exported to the EU can be sourced from any property not just EU accredited properties.

Integrity Systems Company is working with industry on a solution to support these new market requirements.