'Farmy army' to target Labor if sheep exports banned

Supporters of live sheep exports by sea have vowed to campaign for the removal of Labor from power if the trade is banned.

The Senate is expected to vote on Monday night on the legislation to phase out the trade by May 2028.

A bid by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie to hold a Senate inquiry into the ban failed.

Keep the Sheep supporters have raised more than $400,000 and say they will target Labor in marginal seats across Australia if the trade is outlawed.

"As we raise more funds we will be targeting every marginal Labor seat across this country to try and get what we need," WA Farmers' president John Hassell told a media conference in Canberra on Monday.

"There is seething anger across farming communities because our farmers have been treated with contempt."

The opposition has accused the government of racing through the proposal without consultation.

"Labor's policy to shut down the live sheep export industry fails to acknowledge the importance of the sector," Senator McKenzie told the senate on Monday.

"The coalition ... will overturn this legislation if we're elected.

"This is ideologically driven to win votes in east coast capital cities and it is west coast farmers and regional communities that are paying the price."

WA Premier Roger Cook said the Albanese government was wrong to phase out the trade.

"We lobbied against that, we made submissions to that effect," Mr Cook said.

The proposal to end live sheep exports in Australia passed the lower house last week, with a $107 million transition package to flow to affected farmers.

"This is an election commitment that we took to not just one, but two elections, and we're now delivering on that election commitment as Australians would expect us to do so," Agriculture Minister Murray Watt told the senate.

"We know this is an industry that's been in long term decline ... and the numbers of sheep being exported by sea have fallen by 90 per cent over the last 20 years."

The ban has the support of Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi who wants the trade outlawed because of animal welfare concerns.

"Finally the day is here, the day we set the date to end this vile and cruel, sheep export industry is here," Senator Faruqi said.

But Keep the Sheep campaigner and rural transport operator Ben Sutherland said the ban would ruin the livelihoods of 3000 people and he called on senators to vote against the legislation.

Mr Sutherland said the trade was imperative, not just for Western Australia but for the national economy.

"We are in Canberra asking senators to support our trade, to keep our rural businesses and communities going and to keep farmers farming," he said.

In June fired-up farmers warned a parliamentary inquiry that travelled to regional Western Australia some towns would die if the trade is banned by 2028.