Halal to the bone.
When you buy Australian beef and lamb, you can be confident you are getting clean, safe and 100% guaranteed Halal meat.
When you buy Australian beef and lamb, you can be confident you are getting clean, safe and 100% guaranteed Halal meat.
All Australian meat processing establishments exporting to Islamic markets must conform to the Australian Government Authorised Halal Program (AGAHP) – this is a collaborative program, jointly administered by Islamic Societies and the Australian Government. The integrity of the program is underpinned by Australian Government regulation and oversight. The production for export of Halal red meat and offal within Australia requires that all establishments meet a baseline production standard in accordance with the Australian Standard for the Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption. Export accredited meat establishments are further required to comply with the Export Control Act 2020 and its subordinate legislation, the Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Rules 2021, as well as relevant meat notices.
Under AGAHP, facilities must be inspected and accepted as suitable for Halal slaughter and/or production. All inspections are carried out by Approved Islamic Organisations and a representative of the Australian Government.
In addition, to be eligible to export Halal meat, Australian establishments must have in place the necessary Approved Arrangement approved by the Australian Government to identify and maintain the integrity and segregation of Halal meat and offal during all stages of production, storage and transport. These systems are audited regularly by the meat establishment’s internal Quality Assurance personnel, Approved Islamic Organisations, the Australian Government and importing country authorities.
Australian Halal approved red meat export establishments must appoint an Approved Islamic Organisation to oversee their Halal meat and offal production. Approved Islamic Organisations wishing to provide Halal services to the Australian red meat export industry must have an Approved Arrangement with the Australian Government in accordance with Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Rules 2021 and relevant meat notices. These rules detail the obligations that the Islamic Organisation must comply with, which include the training and supervision of Muslim slaughter; the assessment and auditing of Halal aspects of the meat establishment; the monitoring of establishment Halal compliance and reporting of non-conformances to the Australian Government; the signing and endorsement of halal certificates when all halal requirements within the Approved Arrangement have been met; and, the maintenance of accurate and relevant recording keeping. The Australian Government conducts audits of Approved Islamic Organisations on a regular basis to ensure all requirements are met.
AGAHP is underpinned by Australian Government legislation and is jointly supervised and certified by the Australian Government and Approved Islamic Organisations, ensuring the integrity of all Halal meat and offal exported from Australia.
Under AGAHP, export establishments must only employ practising Muslim slaughtermen who are certified by an Approved Islamic Organisations. Muslim slaughtermen must be trained to carry out halal slaughter and carry an official permit with photo ID.
Each Approved Islamic Organisation must have a system in place to ensure that all registered slaughtermen are considered acceptable on religious grounds – this involves developing a code of conduct outlining the religious roles, duties and observances expected of a practicing Muslim, and a regular review of all slaughtermen. All registered slaughtermen must:
1. Be a Muslim considered competent by the Approved Islamic Organisation
2. Comply with their religious slaughter training
3. Comply with personal hygiene, operational sanitation and animal welfare requirements as detailed in the Approved Arrangement
4. Identify carcasses that are considered non-halal in accordance with Approved Arrangement
Muslim slaughtermen must use a sharp knife and carry out the slaughter in accordance with Islamic Sharia. Slaughter is conducted in the direction of Mecca, accompanied with the prayer ‘Bismillah Allahu Akbar’. Australia does not compromise on animal welfare and it follows that all animals in Australia are slaughtered according to strict animal welfare codes. The Australian Livestock Processing Industry Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS) is in place to guide the integrity of welfare practices and to ensure animals are humanely treated.
Only Approved Islamic Organisations can certify Halal meat and meat products for export. The certification is also backed by Australian Government assurances that the product has be produced in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.
All Australian Halal red meat and offal for export is identified with the Official Halal Mark, which is securely controlled and applied by the Australian Government. This mark is only placed on product produced under the Approved Arrangement and when all Halal requirements have been met.