Livestock industry leaders from across Australia flocked to the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday night for the Meat & Livestock Australia MSA excellence in eating quality award dinner.
As well as awards presentations for states across Australia, the evening featured a panel discussion from industry experts - Teys Australia group operations support Ethan Mooney, Thomas Foods International group general manager beef Kevin Himmelberg and RMA Network CEO Chris Howie.
Mr Howie believes implementing the MSA sheepmeat model would offer the industry one of its biggest shifts in decades.
"It moves it from a commodity market to a premium market," he said.
"It also allows feedlotters to be rewarded for creating a premium product.
"It can see this being the next big step."
MSA program manager David Packer outlined the benefits of the program, including delivering an additional $409 million in farmgate returns to beef producers. He said the national average MSA index was sitting at a record high of 58.81.