New beef industry pilot project set to revolutionise on-farm sustainability and traceability reporting for Australia’s agricultural sector
- Ebony Greaves
- Jun 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 20
Victorian High Country, 19th of June 2025
A landmark pilot project aimed at transforming on-farm sustainability reporting and supply chain traceability in the Australian beef industry has been launched by SEAOAK Consulting, in collaboration with a consortium of leading ag-tech innovators, producers, and industry bodies.
The pilot will trial a scalable, digital sustainability reporting framework designed to help beef producers track, verify, and share their on-farm environmental credentials across the supply chain. It responds to increasing global demand for transparency, environmental accountability, and verifiable product provenance - while helping producers meet Australia’s evolving sustainability landscape.
“Taking care of land, soils and livestock is ingrained in most farmers’ DNA. This solution will automate data capture and sustainability compliance, enabling a clearer understanding of climate risks, showcasing environmental stewardship, and turning regulatory requirements into commercial opportunities” - Ebony Greaves, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of SEAOAK Consulting
The pilot features Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef, a leading low carbon beef producer, as the trial farm, and is supported by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).
“At Macka's Pastoral, we’re excited to be part of this project. It’s a great opportunity to support our industry while collecting and sharing data that gives our customers and consumers' confidence that the product they’re purchasing is produced sustainably and ethically.” - Robert Mackenzie, Director/Owner of Macka's Pastoral, Macka's Australian Black Angus Beef, and Barrington Hinterland Prime
A connected system for compliance and market confidence
The pilot project will integrate cutting-edge ag-tech solutions with an integrated platform that interacts with existing tools and data across the
supply chain. It will be compatible with tools such as National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), Electronic National Vendor Declaration system (eNVD), AgTrace, existing on-farm data tools, and existing emissions calculators.
The pilot will feature:
A streamlined, science-aligned farm sustainability reporting framework tailored for beef producers and aligned to leading standards such as the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF), Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF), UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), and the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards related to mandatory climate reporting (ASRS);
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive climate and sustainability-related analytics. AI plays a pivotal role in this pilot by enabling predictive analytics and intelligent decision-support tools that help producers better manage climate variability, sustainability risks, and regulatory compliance. By analysing complex data from multiple on-farm systems and external sources, AI can identify patterns and trends such as pasture productivity, emissions hotspots, or animal health indicators allowing producers to take proactive, data-driven actions. Integrating AI into the platform ensures that sustainability reporting isn’t just a compliance exercise, but a strategic tool that enhances operational efficiency, market competitiveness, and environmental performance; and
Blockchain-enabled traceability and GS1-powered QR codes that carry farm sustainability credentials along the supply chain, and that are compliant with Australian Agricultural Traceability Protocol (AATP), providing customers direct access to verified information about farm practices, emissions and animal welfare.
“GS1 standards provide the critical foundation for trusted, end-to-end traceability across complex supply chains. This pilot demonstrates how global standards can empower the beef industry to deliver verified sustainability credentials and product provenance, supporting compliance, building consumer trust, and unlocking new market opportunities. We’re proud to be enabling technologies that connect paddock to plate with integrity and boosting the Australian economy.” – Maria Palazzolo, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer at GS1 Australia
Why a sustainability traceability solution is important
Global markets are placing increasing emphasis on sustainability, traceability, and ethical production. This strong global position comes with growing responsibility. Major export markets including the European Union, the United States, and key Asian countries are now demanding greater traceability, environmental performance, and proof of deforestation-free supply chains (European Commission. EU Deforestation Regulation Overview). Domestically, Australia’s AASB 2 climate-related financial disclosures, effective from FY25, will cascade through the agricultural supply chain, requiring verifiable data from primary producers (AASB, Climate-related Financial Disclosure).
Key figures:
Australia is home to more than 45,000 beef cattle enterprises, together managing over half of the nation’s agricultural land and contributing significantly to the national economy (ABARES Agricultural Commodities Report 2024).
Approximately 65% are engaged in the export market, supplying premium Australian beef to over 100 countries
In 2023, over 70% of Australia’s total beef production was exported, generating more than $11 billion in export revenue (Meat & Livestock Australia. Fast Facts: Australia’s Beef Industry 2024)
Despite widespread commitment to land stewardship and animal welfare, most producers lack access to consistent digital tools that capture and communicate this work meaningfully.
“MLA are pleased to support this pilot, which leverages cutting-edge technology and scientific measurement to turn environmental action into valuable data assets. This project supports MLA’s strategic objective to build trust in the Australian red meat industry by enabling producers to measure, manage and communicate their sustainability credentials with confidence - both domestically and internationally." - John McGuren, Project Manager Digital Agriculture at Meat & Livestock Australia.
Value and impact beyond the Australian beef industry
The learnings from this pilot are intended to support future rollout across Australian agriculture - helping producers across all commodities respond to rising expectations for transparency, climate action and resilience.
“As a specialist agricultural insurer, we see firsthand the impact of a changing climate on agricultural communities. At Achmea Farm Insurance: our purpose is clear: to keep farmers farming. That is why we are proud to support this pilot project, enabling the industry in managing these emerging risks. True to our cooperative heritage, we believe that collaboration across the industry leads to stronger and more sustainable outcomes, and this initiative is a true reflection of that belief. By supporting farmers to track and share their sustainability and environmental credentials, this pilot project plays an important role in advancing our vision to protect and enhance a sustainable future for agricultural communities.” - Glenn Rosbrook, Chief Client Officer, Achmea Farm Insurance
Project partners
The pilot project will be managed by SEAOAK Consulting as the agricultural industry climate and sustainability lead. Project delivery partners also include:
Macka’s Pastoral / Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef as the trial farm;
Aglive Australia as the ag-tech integration partner;
Informed 365 as the ESG tech platform;
GS1 Australia as the food traceability standards partner; and
Cibo Labs as the agricultural data analytics partner.
Non-financial project partner includes Food Agility, responsible for the National AgTrace system. Food Agility’s primary role will be to ensure AATP compliance and compatibility with the Digital Product Passport environment emerging in the marketplace.
Funding and timeline
Pilot commencement: June 2025
Pilot completion: June 2026
Funding contributors:
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the MLA Donor Company (MDC)
Interested in being involved in the pilot?
If your organisation is interested in learning more about the pilot project or exploring opportunities to join as a funding or investment partner, please get in touch using the contact details below—or use the contact button.
Ebony Greaves
Chief Executive Officer, SEAOAK Consulting
+61 412 103 291
John McGuren
Project Manager Digital Agriculture, Meat & Livestock Australia
+61 428 864 877
Comments