The North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC) has released its Producer Identified RD&A Priorities for 2026–2028, outlining the key issues northern producers want future research, development and adoption investment focused on over the next three years. Importantly, the priorities have been developed directly through producer input via Regional Beef Research Committees across northern Australia, including strong NT representation through ASPIAC, BRAC and KPIAC.
The priorities reflect many of the practical challenges producers continue to raise across the Territory, with a strong focus on labour efficiency, animal health, productivity, welfare outcomes and improving decision-making in extensive northern systems. A major theme throughout the document is the development of practical technology that can deliver real-time information and faster management decisions on-property, including crush-side diagnostics, pregnancy detection, disease monitoring and automated treatment systems.
Animal health and welfare also feature heavily, with priorities including longer-lasting buffalo fly and tick controls, improved pain relief and wound treatment options, vaccine development for reproductive diseases and consolidated “one-shot” treatment systems that reduce handling and improve efficiency in large-scale operations. Several priorities also focus on better understanding productivity losses, including calf loss, woody thickening, land condition and the long-term economics of improved pasture systems.
The document also highlights growing industry interest in sustainability, natural capital and genetics, while recognising the need for tools and frameworks that are practical, regionally relevant and commercially useful for northern production systems. Importantly, one of the priorities directly acknowledges the ongoing challenge of extension and adoption across the beef industry, recognising the gap that often exists between research being completed and meaningful uptake on-property.
NTCA acknowledges and thanks the NT producers who continue to contribute their time and expertise through Regional Beef Research Committees and broader industry engagement. Their involvement helps ensure Territory conditions, operating environments and producer priorities remain strongly represented in national RD&A discussions and future investment decisions.
