Australia lifts Indonesia live cattle ban

Australia on Wednesday announced it would lift a ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia and resume trade with additional safeguards in place to address animal cruelty concerns. Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said an agreement had been reached with Indonesia to address the welfare concerns which first saw trade frozen a month ago and exporters could now apply for permits to resume shipments. "I am able to announce this tonight because key conditions for resumption have been met," Ludwig told reporters. Farmers would have to apply for export licences requiring that international standards of animal welfare be met and Indonesia had also indicated it was prepared to issue similar permits for importers, Ludwig said. "The exporter is required to trace the animals from the domestic supply chain into the feedlot, from the feedlot into the abattoir," said Ludwig of the new permits. "The abattoir will be independently audited," he added.