When the federal government banned Australia's live cattle trade to Indonesia in 2011, Michael Thompson's pastoral business was severely impacted.
And while he is not involved in the sheep industry, the owner of Mundabullangana (Munda) Station is preparing to fight the government's plan to end the live sheep export trade.
"I've always fought for accountability in government, and I saw the collapse of my business in 2011 in a week," Mr Thompson said.
"Now is the time to make a stand as a community. It's not just farmers, it's all the communities ... that are going to get hurt.
"They're going to hurt a lot of people, and I just don't want to sit back and see that happen."
Mr Thompson said following the federal government's appointment of a panel to advise on how and when to end the live sheep export trade, he had begun gauging interest from farmers and communities across Australia to join together and fight the plan.
"I'm prepared to put in $15 a head for a breeding cow ... and I'd like to see sheep farmers in Australia put in $2 for every breeding ewe they've got on their property," he said.
"We might be able to raise a couple of hundred million if we all dobbed in."
'Long, drawn out' battle ahead
His plans are still in their infancy, but Mr Thompson said he had registered the business Farming Communities Australia, engaged a lawyer, and was hoping to establish a committee in every state and territory to discuss what "the battle" could look like.
He said he hoped to use funds raised to increase awareness of how the live export industry had improved, and highlight the care farmers had for their livestock.
"We've got to retain this market, but we've also got to convince the Australian people that we are evolving, we have evolved, and we will continue to evolve to stay in the trade," he said.
"We can't just sit back and let governments walk all over the top of us — unions don't, so are farmers any different?"
Former Northern Territory minister for primary industry and resources, and newly elected chair of the Northern Territory Live Exporters Association, Ken Vowles, said campaigns like Mr Thompson's garnered the attention of elected members.
"People matter, votes matter ... it does make a stance and when it grows and grows, you can't ignore it," Mr Vowles said.
"At the end of the day, you've got to get re-elected and that's something that does have some sort of focus of governments when it gets big enough."
Farmers' fighting fund not an option
To finance the cattle industry's class action against the 2011 live export ban, the Australian Farmers' Fighting Fund (AFFF) was engaged.
The AFFF is dedicated to fighting legal battles, which according to chair Hugh Nivison meant it could not yet be used to challenge the live sheep export policy.
However, Mr Nivison gave "all credit" to Mr Thompson's plans to raise funds separately.
"It's time and effort and airplay to try and convince the government they've actually made a wrong choice here and get them to reverse the policy," he said.
"If [Michael Thompson] can raise those sort of sums of money he may have a pretty good chance of achieving that outcome, which would be terrific for all involved."
Producers wondering what's next
Cattle producers have been vocal about the need to challenge the government's sheep export policy in order to prevent future changes to the live cattle trade or other primary industries.
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt reiterated that the government "strongly supports" the live cattle trade.
Despite this assurance, industry members across the country said they were not convinced they could trust the government's word.
Northern Territory Cattleman's Association president David Connolly told ABC Landline the decision had "ruffled the feathers" of the association's members who were wondering what was next.
"There was plenty of talk about not touching the live cattle trade before 2011 and it still got touched," he said.
"I believe that Murray Watt believes what he's saying, I don't believe what the Labor government are saying."
The panel appointed to advise the federal government on how and when to phase out live sheep exports by sea will provide a report to the Agriculture Minister by September 30.
