BeefLedger is pleased to announce that it has signed a Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC). The MOU aims to drive the development of the BeefLedger platform in concert with regional industry, so as to support the creation and harnessing of regional provenance value.

The BeefLedger platform aligns with the regional strategy of creating “revered brands”, which recognise and exemplify the high quality of product and producers from the region.

The Central Highlands is one of Australia’s most diverse and productive agricultural regions. Official Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that in 2016-17, the region’s agricultural gross value product was AU$890 million. Of this, beef cattle contributed $540 million.

The region holds an estimated 1.3 million head of beef cattle, which ranks it amongst the highest levels of cattle / square kilometre concentration in Australia.

“We are proud to have signed this Memorandum of Understanding, which is the first of its kind with a regional development organisation in Australia. CHDC is an organisation that is ambitious for its region, and that is what appeals to us,” Warwick Powell, Chairman of BeefLedger said.

“The region is also the heart of beef cattle production in Central Queensland with numerous industry leaders and innovators. We are looking forward to working with these people to take the industry forward by combining decades of local knowledge and experience with our tech and Asia market know-how.

“There’s a burgeoning market for authentic Australian beef in Asia, and in China in particular. By working together we are confident that we can grow regional value and support long term regional prosperity,” Mr Powell said.

CHDC is a wholly owned not for profit company of the Central Highlands Regional Council. CHDC is the region’s peak economic development organisation and is the organiser of AgTeCH19 (a National agtech event). CHDC was recently awarded AusIndustry funding to establish and deliver the Agtech Incubator + Accelerator Program, which will have a footprint covering northern inland New South Wales through to inland North Queensland. More information on CHDC is at www.chdc.com.au.

Warwick Powell (R) catches up with beef industry leader and innovator, Ian McCamley (L) in the town of Dingo, in the Central Highlands of Queensland. Image credit: Liz Alexander