Agriculture Sector in Business Ethics and Sustainability

Question: Discuss about the Agriculture Sector in Business Ethics and Sustainability. Answer: Introduction Live animal exporting refers to the process of moving animals; (domestic) such as sheep, cattle and goats from a country to another (Di Nardo, et al. 2011, p.63.)The animals are transported for various functions for example, for breeding and to be slaughtered. Others purchase the animals to graze them. When they are obtained from other countries, the export activity takes place. In some cases, wild animals may be moved, but the government controls such activities. Similarly, Australia experience live animal exporting to the various foreign countries. This activity has been of great advantage to the Australian economy. This report aims to discuss the benefits associated live animal exportation in Australia. Animals selected This report uses livestock to explain the animal export industry. Cows, sheep and goats are discussed in depth on their advantages, limitations and strategies developed towards this trade. Australia is said to be leading in animal and their welfare practices worldwide. They have a well-established agriculture, food and farming sector (Allen, 2011, p.27). Therefore, the country stand in a better position to enjoy the benefits attributable to this type of trade. Why livestock is selected The report chose to discuss animal export in Australia since it is a broad industry that involves approximately a third of the rural residents population. Many participants invest, sell and trade the livestock to earn income. The herd, for instance, cattle, have various breeds that create a large market for them to be exported. Adaptaur, Braford and the Brangus are exported for meat while the Friesian and Zebu are dairy cows (Liu, et al. 2010, p.698). Aussie down and the Australian White are breeds of sheep exported for mutton. Importance of exporting live animals Creation of job opportunities- (Pearson, et al. 2010, p. 12.) say in 2012, about 13,000 individuals in rural areas participated in the industry. Since the industry is dominant in the regional areas of Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria, rural residents find an opportunity to graze and export the animals. Jobs are created in that some wealthy persons invest in the livestock by employing grazers, lending green land for pasture, using veterinary experts and getting agents to find buyers of the animals. The process of exporting involves numerous procedures which require different people in each process. Both local and international employment is created. Fostering international trades- This process helps Australia to improve its balance of payments by increasing the exports. 2014/2015, cattle and sheep exports grew by 22% and 9% respectively (Jiang, 2014, p. 94).The percentages imply the government and stakeholders are concentrating on modifying the sector to make it the recognized animal export industry globally. It makes the industry to be ranked among the best worldwide. Buyers from all countries would prefer to purchase from Australia making the sellers to earn more. Eradicating food insecurity- Countries which do not have a strong agricultural sector may experience hunger. Therefore, Australia exports the livestock for beef and mutton. When a country can export some commodities, it means it has abundant of them. Due to animal husbandry, the country remains healthy, producing an active generation to build its economy. In the Middle East, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia acquire livestock from Australia (Siegmund-Schultze, et al. 201, p. 288). Generation of income and revenue to the government-Qureshi, et al. (2013, p.101.) say A$891.7 million was raised as Australias earnings on animal export in 2012. The amount is reported to be increasing in the subsequent years. The federal government uses the number to diversify other sectors such as infrastructure, education and health. On the other hand, people benefiting from the exercise improve their standards of living making Australia a comfortable place to live. Technology and innovation-In order to make the industry productive, Australians have embraced innovations and the introduction of technology to the sector. Such changes include the use of genetic ability for breeding and reproduction, checking on the livestocks health and diseases. The health is managed by vaccinating and offering proper nutrition. Such methods improve productivity as well as promoting the business culture where people adapt to changes in the business environment. International relations- through trading of the animals, Australia can create mutual relationships with its trade partners. Through livestock exports, Australians get favorable trade tariffs, quotas, and reduced barriers when trading with their partners. For example, there are reduced barriers to trade between Australia and the UAE where livestock and oil business is marketed. Therefore, the Australians can import from UAE conveniently since the trade relations are favorable. The diversity of livestock breeds- When livestock is exported, the animal breeds are diversified. Once the dairy cattle breeds such as the Illawarra cows are shipped, they provide new kinds to their new areas. They can be used to cross-breed with other breeds for better production. Most of the cows adapt to the climate quickly, produce quality milk and their calves have high survival chances (Johnston, et al. 2014, p.14.) Since some of the breeds originate from Australia, international buyers import the animals to cross breed. This exercise improves the market for the farmers in Australia. Expansion of products- the international trade has assisted in providing meat, dairy, wool and hid products. Textile companies import the products for the production of clothes, shoes and ornaments. Abughazaleh Trading Company (ABCO) in the UAE is a good example of a textile firm which obtains its raw materials from Australia. (Banerjee, 2016, p. 215). If the country were not offering the trade, the enterprise would suffer inputs inadequacy. The ABCO among other textile firms relies on Australia indirectly to get the products. At some point, they may assist smaller meat companies to purchase the animals for them to obtain the wool, skins and hides. The smaller firms become customers of the Australians which improve the market for the livestock. Cure of animal diseases- if the animals exported contract worms, the importers usually find treatment for the sickness. This activity assists Australian farmers to get the same medicines for the health of the livestock in case they fall sick. For example, vaccines for Anthrax and cattle measles were discovered to promote health in cows in Australia. The owners get the new medicine to treat the animals reducing the death rates. Strategies to Improve the Industry Forming an assurance to importers- the federal government has set up the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) (Juan Ding, 2014, p.102.)The body controls trade and ensures all animals exported are healthy and fit for trading. ESCAS creates confidence to the buyers. The body is always refined and implemented to suit the needs of the customers. Government legislation - the government, monitors the whole process from the farmers to the oversea buyers. Once it notices non-ethical behaviors, it intervenes immediately. For instance, in 2011, it issued a ban on the industry, especially on beef. The business was suspended until everything resumed to normal. The strategy helped to control the industry. Documentation- this plan has been implemented to avoid illegal business. Every trade conducted concerning the animals must have records documented by the relevant authority. The federal government uses this approach to prevent illicit trade which may be done by traders pretending they are exporting animals. For instance, the meat export license is mandatory when selling on beef and mutton (Briggs, 2014, p.1113.). Livestock organizations- the emergence of Cattle Council of Australia among others have intervened the business. These councils are in charge of constructing and managing programs to help their contributors meet the necessities and other significant laws. Cattle companies additionally furnish coaching for personnel within the livestock industry and supply accreditation on for their inventory. Outcomes and reporting- the government takes the initiative of employing auditors to compile, revenues and other significant figures in the sector. The public is then informed through various media. Doing so helps in realizing areas where the industry can improve and aspects to withdraw for better performance. Conclusion Live animal export is a sub-sector of the agriculture industry. It improves the economy by providing jobs, revenues and facilitating international trade. The federal government has implemented some strategies to make the sub-sector productive. As discussed previously, it is more beneficial and should be adopted especially by the residents residing in the rural areas of Australia. 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