Funding schemes to tackle pest threats
Farmer contributions to Industry Funding Schemes will support a range of priority animal disease and pest control programs next financial year.
The schemes operate across the sheep and goat, cattle, grains, seed and hay sectors in Western Australia, allowing industry to raise funds to address key biosecurity issues.
The 2017/18 contribution rates will remain unchanged for cattle, sheep and goats, while there has been a reduction for grains, seeds and hay.
Grain/seed contributions are being reduced from 30 cents on the first sale of every tonne of grain and seed to 25 cents.
Hay producer contributions will reduce from 15 cents on the first sale of hay to 12.5 cents.
The new contribution rates will come into effect from 1 July 2017.
With strong grains harvests in recent seasons, the funding scheme account balance for grains, seeds and hay has grown.
The new contribution rate will help ensure industry funds are put to use on the ground.
For the 2017/18 financial year funds will be used as follows:
Cattle
Producers will pay a 20 cent contribution on the sale of each animal/carcase to fund surveillance programs for bovine tuberculosis, enzootic bovine leucosis and Johne’s disease.
Sheep and goats
Producers will pay a 10 cent contribution on the sale of each animal/carcase produced within the state, to fund a program to control virulent footrot, including research into the effectiveness of a footrot vaccine.
Grains and seed
Producers will pay a 25 cent contribution on the first sale of every tonne of grain and seed grown within the South West Land Division, to fund continuing programs to control skeleton weed and eradicate three-horned bedstraw.
Hay
Producers will pay 12.5 cents per tonne on the first sale of hay grown within the South West land Division, to fund the skeleton weed and three-horned bedstraw programs.
Following discussions with the Minister for Agriculture and Food, the cattle, sheep and goat Industry Funding Scheme management committees are also examining the possibility for these schemes to address wild dog control during 2017/18, and will liaise further with producers about this.
Producers who wish to opt out of the schemes must submit a 2017/18 Notice of Opt Out form by 30 June 2017.
Producers that opt out lose all entitlements to assistance and compensation via the scheme.
More information is available on the Industry Funding Schemes page of the DAFWA website.
For more information contact Rebecca Heath, Industry Funding Scheme Executive Officer, Northam, on +61 (0)8 9690 2171.