Thousands of meat processing workers needed ahead of spring flush
Meat processors are expecting their labour shortage situation to get worse in the coming months, and farmers may bear the brunt of it.
Meat processors immediately need about 3500 more skilled workers as southern Australian heads into peak spring and summer livestock turn-off periods.
A special investigation by The Weekly Times into Australian agriculture’s workforce shortage has found that meat works, already hamstrung by a scarcity of workers and compounded by ongoing Covid restrictions limiting operating capacity, are at a crossroads with industry labelling response by governments as “garbage” and “beyond pathetic”.
Industry data shows almost 70 per cent of all Australian meatworks were running at 80 per cent, or less, of capacity due to existing skilled worker shortages – a situation that is predicted to worsen as Covid cases peak and Victorian restrictions bite.
Victorian processors are predicted to be hardest hit by the current settings between October and December, when lamb supply is expected to spike.
The concerning trend comes as farmers and processors blast the Victorian Government for not clearly outlining how the pressure would be eased on the sector in its roadmap released last weekend.
The Government last month slapped a 20 per cent reduction on worker numbers in metropolitan processing plants, it said, due to the high risk of the settings.
Industry has rejected a Department of Health claim it had “worked closely with industry to put in place public health actions that are required and consistent with the national plan” until 70 per cent and 80 per cent of eligible Australians were vaccinated against the virus.
“They’ve never worked with us,” Australian Meat Industry Council chief executive Patrick Hutchinson said. “They don’t even bother turning up to AgVic (department) forums.
“We’ve no idea what any freedoms are, the roadmap talks about ‘additional obligations’ which we believe means continued workforce caps.”
The Government spokesman said the roadmap indicated some easing of restrictions, including in meatworks, at 70 per cent fully vaccinated, but that “plan was dependent on the ability of venues and employers to confirm the vaccination status of employees and patrons”.
Mr Hutchinson labelled this claim as “rubbish”.
“(It) doesn’t actually tell us anything and no one has actually approached us from DHHS to further explain … moreover, we’ve got sites where workers are at 90 per cent-plus fully vaccinated”.
“Does that mean the community is more dangerous than a meatworks? Should we ask workers to live at the processing facility as it’s safer than in an unvaccinated community?” he said.
Mr Hutchinson said processors had worked hard to encourage staff to get vaccinated with some offering onsite jabs and incentives.
He said the restrictions made no epidemiological sense and were “not happening in any other state, or country”.
“They are punishing us for no reason which in turn punishes lamb and pig farmers to start, and if it continues, will punish all livestock producers in Victoria.”
Modelling by Meat and Livestock Australia shows, at worst, Covid restrictions could result in a surplus of one million lambs during late October-December if workforce limitations were extended statewide.
Victorian Farmers Federation livestock president Steve Harrison said farmers were “very concerned” by the risk of a “glut” of lambs later in spring and the impact it could have on farm operations, returns and animal welfare.
While prices are still in tight supply-induced record-highs, the annual lamb turn-off will soon see numbers swell at saleyards.
All major indicative lamb and sheep prices eased last week by around 10-30 cents.
Mr Harrison said more farmers might need to shear or crutch lambs if sale was delayed, ramping up pressure on a stretched shearer workforce to ensure animal welfare wasn’t compromised in summer by issues such as flystrike.
Price analyst Matt Dalgleish, Thomas Elder Markets, said there had been a slight decrease in lamb slaughter in the past few weeks but significant price impacts were yet to be seen.
But, if restrictions were extended statewide, or outbreaks occurred in plants, prices could slip 20-30 per cent, he estimated.
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