Brazil-JBS-Swift problems in Australia.

AUSTRALIA - JBS-SWIFT.Senator Bill Heffernan, who chairs Australia’s Senate Select Committee on Agricultural and Related Industries, has hit out at market consolidation by the Brazilian meat processing giant JBS Swift.

Senator Bill HeffernanThe committee is at present conducting an inquiry into food production in Australia.

The committee’s key issues of concern include: how to produce food that is affordable to consumers, viable for production by farmers and of sustainable impact on the environment.

The senator visited Launceston on Tuesday this week and heard from a number of different people regarding food production.

According to a report in the Hobart Mercury, Tasmanian farmers should be "marching on Parliament against meat giant JBS Swift", the Senate committee was told.

The report says that Senator Heffernan said the farmers should march to prevent "classic market consolidation" by the Brazilian meat giant.

Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is expected to be invited to appear before the committee.