Organic beef production and marketing in Australia

Summary

Although organic beef marketing has long lagged behind that of organic products of plant origin, it has grown considerably since the late 1990s, when the large retailers entered the market. Whereas in 2000-2001 the value of the Australian certified organic beef was only $32 million (farm-gate prices), with less than two thirds going to the organic market, by 2005 the estimated production had doubled to around $60 million (farm-gate prices), with virtually all of the produce being sold in the organic market. About three quarters of this is currently sold through the domestic market. Dominant export markets have moved from Japan and the UK to the USA.