WA Meat Marketing Co-operative set to pay members record $21.8 million bonus

The WA Meat Marketing Co-operative will pay out a record $21.8 million bonus to its members and spend another $50m upgrading its Katanning processing plant in a bid to “futureproof” the State’s sheep industry. The record rebate more than doubles last year’s $8.3m bonus pool. WAMMCO chief executive Coll MacRury said producer members would receive the payment — which equates to $1.20/kg for all qualifying lamb, and 60¢/kg for qualifying mutton — in late August. “This is not where the good news ends . . . WAMMCO will reinvest $50m back into the Katanning production facility,” he said. “This significant local investment will further support our co-operative members and, along with our strong investment in the international market, will help secure and futureproof the industry in WA.” With Australia’s live sheep export industry to be banned in 2028, Mr MacRury said WAMMCO wanted to provide farmers with confidence. “It’s widely known the industry as a whole is going through a tough period, but we are determined to ensure the future of sheep and lamb in Australia,” he said. Owned by about 700 WA farmers and exporting to more than 120 countries, WAMMCO is WA’s biggest sheepmeat processing co-operative. It also owns and operates Southern Meats in Goulburn, NSW, with the two entities processing a combined 2.3 million head of sheep and lamb a year. In a statement, WAMMCO said it had an “enviable” client base, with demand outweighing supply in key international markets. WAMMCO is also a significant shareholder in The Lamb Cooperative, which comprises three processing facilities in North America. WAMMCO did not reveal what upgrades were in store for the Katanning plant, but said the co-operative was determined to “offer leadership” in the future of WA’s sheep industry and “provide a solution” to an ongoing lack of processing capacity. WA meat processor V&V Walsh opened a new $50m cold store facility at Davenport in May.