Australian goat meat has become the first choice for America’s “conscious consumers”, who see it as more environmentally sustainable and healthy than other proteins.<\/p>\n
The surge in international demand for wild-caught rangeland goats comes as producers seek to improve quality through dedicated breeding programs.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rangeland goats are in high demand from overseas consumers. (ABC Open contributor: Chris Ferguson)<\/p>\n
If they can balance consistent supply with ethical expectation new markets may open, according to experts.<\/p>\n
But it means an industry largely still in its infancy will have to decide how it wants to grow up \u2014 and fast.<\/p>\n
Going for goat<\/p>\n
Janine Teese is a senior analyst with Greenleaf Enterprises, a consultancy that partnered with research and development organisation Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) to assess consumer trends and the goat meat supply chain.<\/p>\n
She interviewed “conscious consumers” in the United States who prioritise buying food consistent with their social, environmental or ethical values.<\/p>\n
“[Goat] wasn’t going to be substituted with any other red meat,” Dr Teese said.<\/p>\n
“It’s like, ‘We’re buying goat as our first preference on meat or we’ll go vegetarian’.”<\/p>\n
The bulk of Australian goat meat comes from rangeland goats \u2014 wild-born animals that are captured and taken to meatworks for processing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Janine Teese says goat meat is a natural fit for the conscious consumer. (Supplied: Janine Teese)<\/p>\n
Dr Teese said that “natural” production was a key part of the appeal.<\/p>\n
“It’s about environmental sustainability \u2014 how it was raised and different management activities involved,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Also, [no] use of hormones, growth promotants or antibiotics fits that conscious consumer perfectly, which is why we’ve seen massive demand in California and the US.”<\/p>\n
The US is the largest market for exports, followed by South Korea, China and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
But even though Australia’s production of goat meat soared to 54,017 tonnes in 2024 \u2013 the highest volume ever recorded, according to MLA \u2013 establishing consistent supply has remained a challenge.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The bulk of Australian goat meat comes from rangeland goats, but some producers are choosing to breed the goats they capture. (ABC News: Lucy Cooper)<\/p>\n
Wild or bred?<\/p>\n
The Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA) is the peak body representing producers.<\/p>\n
President John Falkenhagen said while rangeland goats made up the bulk of supply, some producers were exploring managed breeding programs using their genetics.<\/p>\n
“When we saw really high prices a few years ago, there was certainly a bigger move that way,” he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Anita Dennis of Coolah, at Blackall, with some of her rangeland goats. (ABC Western Qld: Hilary Cassell)<\/p>\n
Western Queensland producer Anita Dennis is among those adopting an intentional breeding system.<\/p>\n
“When we first started off we were harvesting rangeland goats,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We’ve started putting better genetics in \u2026 and we’re growing a meatier animal.”<\/p>\n
Ms Dennis said that had allowed her to produce animals that were consistent in size and quality \u00a0more regularly.<\/p>\n
“There’s some really exciting things that are happening within the goat space,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I think for producers it’s really important to understand what the consumers are wanting.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Australian goat meat is popular overseas. (ABC News: Lucy Cooper)<\/p>\n
Call for grading system<\/p>\n
For Glenda Henry, a breeder from Central Queensland who is also the chair of Queensland Goat Producers, a key part of that picture is a quality grading system.<\/p>\n
“Until you’ve actually got grading, there’s no guarantee when you go to buy goat meat what you’re going to actually get,” she said.<\/p>\n
“If they [consumers] have a bad experience, you’re never going to get them to go back again.”<\/p>\n
The beef and lamb sectors use Meat Standards Australia (MSA)<\/a>, a national voluntary eating-quality system.<\/p>\n Meatworks can use the grading system to give feedback to producers, but nothing has been developed for goat meat.<\/p>\n