National Animal Welfare Accreditation

SETTING THE STANDARD IN

ANIMAL WELFARE, TRACEABILITY, AND BIOSECURITY.

The National Animal Welfare Accreditation Scheme (NAWA) ensures every step of Australia’s livestock supply chain is ethical, transparent, and accountable. From paddock to plate, welfare comes first.

The National Animal Welfare Accreditation Scheme (NAWA), is a nationally consistent framework that harmonises animal welfare, traceability, and biosecurity standards across farms, transport, feedlots, saleyards, and processors. Its purpose is to ensure that every link in the livestock supply chain operates to clear, science-backed welfare obligations, with accountability reinforced through audits, training, and traceability systems.

A green silhouette of a cow and a calf on a white background with the CoRLink Logo and national animal welfare accreditation

Why Accreditation Matters.

Accreditation provides assurance that your business meets or exceeds Australia’s national animal welfare standards.



This recognition delivers:

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Credibility & Trust

Show your business meets Australia’s highest welfare standards

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Market Advantage

Unlock access to premium and export markets demanding ethical sourcing.

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Reputation Protection

Minimise risk of compliance breaches and safeguard your brand.

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Operational Excellence

Healthier livestock, reduced losses, better profitability.

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EMPOWERED WORKFORCE

Skilled, confident staff with nationally recognised training.

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Consumer Confidence

Meet the growing demand for transparent, humane food production.

Are you a Member of the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA)?

The Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) has been an integral partner in the development and roll out of the CoRLink National Animal Welfare Accreditation Scheme (NAWA).

JOIN TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE OFFERS.

Core Accreditation Modules.

The NAWA framework is built around three core accreditation modules, each designed to safeguard welfare standards across the livestock supply chain. These modules set out the practical requirements and accountabilities that ensure animals are treated humanely from farm to processor, while giving businesses the tools to demonstrate compliance, build trust, and maintain traceability and biosecurity from paddock to plate.


By harmonising these modules, NAWA integrates with existing schemes and processes across production, transport, and processing to create a seamless, consistent approach to animal welfare, traceability, and biosecurity.

Transport Operator Module.

The Transport Operator Module ensures livestock are moved humanely, safely, and lawfully. It guides transport operators in achieving best-practice standards in driver competency, vehicle design, loading and unloading, journey planning, traceability, and welfare performance throughout every stage of transport.


Click the links below to access the Business Standards, Business Rules, and Fundamentals and Vocabulary documents for the Transport Operator Module of the CoRLink National Animal Welfare Accreditation Scheme (NAWA).

Green ear tag with
Green ear tag with
Green livestock tag with
Black cows graze in a green field, looking forward, behind a barbed wire fence.
Aerial view: livestock trucks and trailers lined up in a sale yard.
Cattle in a feedlot eating from a long trough. Mostly black cattle lined up, eating feed.
Processing plant interior with conveyor belts and hanging racks; sepia-toned.

Traceability Through Every Stage

Connecting producers, transport, and processors under one harmonised standard.

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Primary Producer Module 


Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing on-farm accreditation schemes, this module ensures on-farm care (nutrition, shelter, disease prevention) while maintaining traceability and biosecurity.

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Transport Operator Module


Operating between production and processing, this module ensures vehicle condition, driver competency, humane handling, emergency response, and digital trip logs. It plays a critical role in linking other modules to harmonise welfare and traceability standards across the supply chain.

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Supply Chain Party Module


 Applicable to saleyards, feedlots, and processors, this module integrates with existing schemes and covers humane slaughter, facility design, segregation, and training, ensuring traceability, biosecurity, and consistent standards across the chain.

Compliance and Rules

Only operators accredited under the CoRLink NAWA Scheme can provide recognised assurance that livestock are transported in line with national best practice for animal welfare, traceability, and biosecurity.


NAWA accreditation is conditional on strict adherence to welfare and safety requirements, including:


  • Animals unfit for travel must not be moved (except for veterinary treatment).
  • Vehicles and equipment must be fit for purpose, maintained, and ventilated.
  • Staff must be trained in animal welfare, with training records available.
  • Food, water, rest, and stocking densities must meet species-based standards.
  • Records of journeys, audits, and welfare checks must be maintained.


LONG TERM Benefits

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Community & General Benefits

NAWA accreditation builds consumer trust, opens access to premium markets, and helps businesses stay ahead of regulatory standards. It drives better welfare, productivity, traceability, and sustainability, while strengthening long-term resilience and profitability.

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Benefits for Regulators & Government

For regulators, NAWA delivers efficient oversight through independent audits, strengthens biosecurity and emergency response, and supports policy and trade goals by showcasing Australia’s leadership in ethical livestock production.

Outline of a cow and goat side-by-side.

Benefits for Industry Participants

For industry, NAWA reduces risk, improves operational performance, and enables participation in a trusted supply chain network. It also supports training and workforce skills, while ensuring businesses are export-ready for global markets

How the App Simplifies Compliance

Managing compliance doesn’t have to be complicated. Our app streamlines every step of the National Animal Welfare Accreditation Scheme (NAWA) process, replacing paperwork with smart digital tools that make record-keeping faster, more accurate, and audit ready. We also provide a hard-copy recording mechanism to be used alongside the digital platform, giving users flexibility in how they capture and report data.


The system covers all record and documentation requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), Chain of Responsibility (CoR) provisions, and has been tailored to integrate other heavy vehicle regulatory and industry accreditation scheme requirements.


From on-farm care to transport and processing, the app ensures welfare obligations are met with ease anytime, anywhere.

Driving National Consistency in Animal Welfare and Supply Chain Integrity

NAWA is more than compliance - it’s a promise. A promise that Australia’s livestock sector is leading the way in ethics, transparency, and responsibility, ensuring that from paddock to plate, welfare comes first.

Join the Leaders in Ethical Animal Production.

Be part of a national movement setting the global benchmark for responsible, sustainable agriculture.