Australian goat meat is gaining popularity among American consumers who prioritize environmental sustainability and health. This trend is driving a surge in international demand for wild-caught rangeland goats, as producers aim to enhance quality through specialized breeding programs. Experts suggest that if producers can align consistent supply with ethical standards, new markets may emerge.

Janine Teese, a senior analyst at Greenleaf Enterprises, collaborated with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) to study consumer trends and the goat meat supply chain. She spoke with American consumers who focus on purchasing food that aligns with their social, environmental, or ethical values. "[Goat] wasn't going to be substituted with any other red meat," Dr. Teese noted. "It's like, 'We're buying goat as our first preference on meat or we'll go vegetarian.'"

Most of Australia's goat meat is sourced from rangeland goats, which are wild-born animals captured for processing. Dr. Teese highlighted that the "natural" production method is a significant draw for consumers. "It's about environmental sustainability — how it was raised and different management activities involved," she explained. The absence of hormones, growth promotants, or antibiotics also appeals to these consumers, contributing to the growing demand in California and across the U.S.

The United States is currently the largest market for Australian goat meat exports, followed by South Korea, China, and the Caribbean. Despite a record production of 54,017 tonnes in 2024, establishing a consistent supply remains a challenge.

John Falkenhagen, president of the Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA), noted that while rangeland goats dominate the supply, some producers are exploring managed breeding programs. "When we saw really high prices a few years ago, there was certainly a bigger move that way," he said.

Anita Dennis, a producer from Western Queensland, is implementing a targeted breeding system. "When we first started off we were harvesting rangeland goats," she said. "We've started putting better genetics in … and we're growing a meatier animal." This approach has enabled her to produce goats that are more consistent in size and quality. "There's some really exciting things that are happening within the goat space," she added.

Glenda Henry, a breeder from Central Queensland and chair of Queensland Goat Producers, emphasized the need for a quality grading system. "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 stated. She warned that a poor consumer experience could deter repeat purchases.

Currently, the beef and lamb sectors utilize Meat Standards Australia (MSA), a voluntary eating-quality system that provides feedback to producers. However, no similar system exists for goat meat. Ms. Henry expressed hope that the introduction of mandatory electronic identification (eID) tags for goats would facilitate the development of a grading system. "The only advantage for us in eID tagging them – because there's a lot of expense in that – would be getting proper kill sheets," she said.

Not all producers agree on the priority of a grading system. Ms. Dennis believes that ensuring a consistent supply should take precedence. "I think there's so many other things that the goat industry needs before MSA grading," she said. Mr. Falkenhagen added that any new system must be tailored to the unique characteristics of the goat industry. "MSA may not work for the goat industry because of the way that it's cooked and how its supply chains work," he explained. "But we may have something else that's unique and I can't define that — that will happen over time."