We'd like to give a shout out to Heather Ellis from Blue Wren Connections who was charged with leading this important research.
Thank you for your involvement and passion for our industry!
The Australian Livestock Markets Association (ALMA) is the national industry body for saleyard owners and operators in Australia.
Previous research has established that saleyards and livestock exchange facilities provide extensive economic value to regional Australia; but there is also a huge social benefit to having operating saleyards in these areas. Sale days bring crowds to towns; are multi-generational events and are a meeting place for people who normally might lead a more isolated life. Sale days are also known to be key contact places for service providers to connect with communities for information sharing and service access.
ALMA commissioned a research project investigating the social value of saleyards to rural communities. The project sought to capture what sale day means to community members, service providers and saleyard stakeholders. Site visits for face-to-face interviews along with virtual interviews were carried out at 11 saleyards across Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
The project report will be a valuable tool in working with all levels of government and the livestock industry to help shape future policy and funding direction.
ALMA Social value of saleyards research report (10MB)
ALMA Social Value of Saleyards Key Findings
High resolution versions of the reports can be obtained by contacting ALMA