What is the red meat integrity system?

A system of food safety measures, quality assurance and traceability from paddock to plate, guaranteeing the integrity of Australia's red meat industry to our customers. Red meat integrity programs are delivered by Integrity Systems Company - a fully owned subsidiary of Meat & Livestock Australia.

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

Incorporating on-farm assurance and livestock traceability, the red meat integrity system protects the disease-free status of Australian red meat and underpins the marketing of our product as clean, safe and natural. Integrity Systems Company (ISC) is responsible for delivering this world leading red meat integrity system, managing and delivering the industry’s on-farm assurance and through-chain traceability programs.

On-Farm Assurance - Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program

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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Identification & Traceability - 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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Integrity Systems Company

ISC 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. ISC was established in 2017.

Through the integrity programs of NLIS, LPA and NVD, the Integrity Systems Company 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.

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Red meat integrity system 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, including 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, including Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Integrity Systems Company (ISC).

MLA’s remit is to deliver marketing, research and development products and services to the beef cattle, sheep and goat sectors, with the core purpose of fostering the prosperity of the red meat industry.

Integrity Systems Company (ISC) works collaboratively with state, territory and federal governments and a range of stakeholders on the red meat integrity system, to protect the disease-free status of Australian red meat and underpin the marketing of our product as clean, safe and natural.

Management of compliance within the integrity programs relies upon the collaboration between ISC 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 ISC. Compliance within the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program is managed by ISC, incorporating the services of AUS-MEAT who conduct both random and targeted on-farm audits.

Industry Structure

FAQs

ISC invests in integrity system initiatives and programs because it allows us to have as much market opportunity for red meat products as possible. Australia’s red meat industry is a $28 billion industry and we are able to export our product into more than 100 markets around the world. We are producing food and we need to be able to provide an assurance to all of our consumers that the product that they are consuming is safe to eat, has been raised in an ethical and positive way, and that we are able to trace that product right through from property of birth to processing. Producers who manage food safety, biosecurity and animal welfare on-farm are all contributing 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.

The integrity system applies regardless of property size or number of sheep, cattle or goats that you produce. If you are a small landholder and you are wanting to transfer animals and either sell them or move them onto another property then all of the requirements of the integrity system apply to you. Most livestock end up in the food chain at some point so it is really important that red meat producers are able to provide an assurance of food safety to our customers, both within Australia and around the world.

ISC recognises that smaller producers would not interact with the integrity system as regularly as larger producers. There are a range of resources available online that will help you with meeting your requirements. Small producers are more than welcome to contact ISC for assistance.

The eNVD has the MSA forms already built in which means 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 ISC newsletter, Integrity Matters. Sign up on the ISC website.