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AWA Board Meeting Report – 27 July 2026

Thursday, 13 August 2026

The Board of Directors and AWA Executive staff met in Melbourne 27 July 2026 to review corporate matters and company performance against KPIs for the full 2026 Financial Year.

Significant items reviewed and resolved are reported below:

  • The meeting reviewed timelines and venues for the 2026 Annual General Meeting. The 2026 AWA AGM will be held Monday 02 November 2026 at the QT Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise. A formal Notice of Annual General Meeting will be issued.
  • The meeting reviewed and approved changes to the AWA animal registers to implement a new Commercial (non-breeding) and Breeding Register structure. This will enable more flexibility for members to use WBVs to assist with selection of slaughter and breeding animals. This change enables registration of all newly born animals in the Commercial register (AUD $10 each) for the first 12 months of life, prior to transition of these animals to the Breeding register for breeding animals only at normal registration prices (eg. AUD $34.90 – $10.00 = $24.90 prior to 12 months of age). Upgrade fees for animals older than 12 months of age were also significantly reduced. Commercial registered animals with carcase data returned to the AWA will receive a $10 rebate.
  • The Wagyu Carcase Royale feedlot and carcase competition final format and logistics were approved, with Sandalwood formally accepted as the competition Feedlot and Supply Chain Partner. Entries were approved to open from 31 July to 10 August 2027, targeting 400 entries, with the initial results and awards to be presented at WagyuEdge’28.
  • AWA Wagyu Content Check DNA test final testing was reviewed and approved by the meeting for release to members, noting that the updated Wagyu Content Check provided results that were highly consistent with the prior Content Wagyu Test across Bos Indicus and Bos Taurus Wagyu crosses. The new Wagyu Content Check will assist producers in identifying Wagyu content in their genotyped animals, better informing breeding and selection decisions. This information will now be used to determine crossbred grade (ie, F1, F2, F3, F4 and Purebred) in the absence of other pedigree information.  The Wagyu Content Check has recently been released to members.
  • The Board reviewed further legal items in progress regarding the Helical database breach through AWA member accounts as notified to members 06 June 2026. The AWA has been working with Helical and cyber security industry exports to ensure that appropriate responses and measures have been implemented. All notifications to relevant organisations have been done in a legal and timely manner. We have also notified the National Cyber Security Coordinator, The National Office of Cyber Security (NOCS), and various law enforcement agencies, including the Australian Federal Police.
  • The Board further reviewed items relating to the use of gene technologies and the cloning of animals, noting that this is an issue of National significance for red meat industries. The Board noted that the AWA Executive have met with representatives from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and that MLA have committed to coordinating an industry summit on the matter for later in 2026, with stakeholders to be advised. The AWA’s Bylaws concerning cloning and gene technologies remain unchanged.
  • The AWA reviewed and approved changes to the AWA Bylaws regarding:
    • Stopping the use of geographical locations within new herd prefixes, noting that this is creating confusion and difficulty for members where significant geographic locations are used;
    • The updating of regulations to note the use of Commercial and Breeding Registers, including the definition of Register;The updating of regulations regarding Performance Recording now that AWA members record data on Helical instead of with ABRI. Similar to AWA’s financial conditions within the AWA Terms of Trade, AWA Performance Recording and Wagyu Breeding Values Terms and Conditions are now listed on the AWA Website
  • Following the completion of FY2026, the full year AWA operational and financial performance was reviewed. The meeting noted that AWA has met its budget targets and KPIS for the year to 30 June 2026, including the transition of AWA’s member services to Helical and the transition of AWA’s genetic evaluation to WBVs. The AWA investment portfolio performance was noted as consistent with targets, and the AWA is sitting in net surplus, completed FY2026 with a moderate net profit.
  • The Board approved the 53 new applications for membership 25 April 2026 to 20 July 2026 including 47 new Full members 6 new Associate members.

As AWA Company Secretary and on behalf of the AWA President and the AWA Board, it is my pleasure to provide this report to you.

Sincerely,

Dr Matt McDonagh
CEO

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Terms & Conditions

It is a condition of use of this database that you accept these terms and conditions. 

It is important that you appreciate when accessing the Australian Wagyu Association Limited (AWA) database (which may be hosted on an external website) that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Wagyu Breeding Values (WBVs) and Index values (together called Database Information), is based on data supplied by AWA members and/or third parties.  

Whilst sincere effort is made to ensure the Database Information is accurate and complete, to the extent permitted by law, AWA, its officers and employees, shall not be responsible for its use or interpretation, and you use the Database Information at your own risk. Please be aware of the following limitations of the Database Information.  

Regarding WBVs and Index values, it is important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:  

  • WBVs are derived using genetic evaluation technology developed for the AWA, using information contained within the AWA database and parameters derived from it.
  • WBVs are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may change with addition of new data or with new parameters.
  • WBVs are genetic merit estimates only and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype.
  • WBVs can only be directly compared to other WBVs calculated in the same AWA genetic analysis.

Regarding pedigree and DNA testing results submitted to the AWA, it is important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:  

  • Animals whose registration identifiers start with PED are Pedigree Recorded Animals. What this means is that the details which AWA used to register the animal were obtained from a Recognised Wagyu Registry Organisation – in other words a Wagyu breed association based outside of Australia. AWA has not independently verified the information with respect to the animal or the details recorded about the animal. You should read AWA’s by-laws which set out details regarding the definition of a Pedigree Recorded Animal.  
  • Pedigree and DNA data submitted and supplied to AWA may have errors in it which cannot be detected without further DNA testing.  
  • Technology may have advanced since a particular test was undertaken so that genetic issues or inaccuracies which were previously not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology (i.e. if the animal was tested again with current technology).  
  • AWA estimates that less than 1% of the pedigree entries, ownership or breeding details in the AWA Herdbook may have errors or which may be misleading. For this reason, users ought to consider if they need to obtain independent testing of the relevant animal (if possible) to ensure that the data is accurate.  

Regarding prefectural content, it is important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:  

  • Prefectural content is based on the estimation of prefectural origin from Japanese breeding records of 201 foundation sires and 168 foundation dams. As genotype-based parent verification is not used in Japan, and full Japanese registration certificates are not available for all foundation animals, exact prefectural composition for these sires and dams cannot be validated.  
  • The calculation of prefectural content for Australian Herdbook animals relies on the accuracy of pedigree records and DNA samples provided by AWA members.   

Regarding DNA testing and genetic condition results submitted to the AWA, it is important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:  

  • As genetic testing results are provided by independent DNA testing laboratories at the request of AWA members, AWA relies solely on the accuracy of the reporting of genetic testing as completed by the laboratories.  
  • AWA uses GeneProb software to calculate the likelihood of pedigree animals being a carrier of genetic conditions.  This likelihood is an estimate based on the available genetic testing results.  

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and/or implications of the data provided on this website or the WBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek expert advice.  Note there is substantial technical information and articles on the Wagyu website to assist our members. 

AWA’s liability for any loss or damage, consequential or otherwise, suffered or incurred by you or your related business, arising directly or indirectly from your use of Database Information, to the extent permitted by law, is limited to AWA providing you with a refund for the fees paid for the service (if any), or AWA re-performing the service, where possible, at the election of AWA.  

AWA administers this database in good faith to support AWA members and the industry. AWA does not represent or warrant that the animals recorded in this database, or animals breed from them, will achieve any particular genetic or phenotype performance.

THIS DISCLAIMER HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF 03/02/2026, PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ IT IN DETAIL

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