Farm groups against new biosecurity levy call for ‘common sense’ in a joint letter to the Prime Minister

The chair for Grain Producers Australia says he hopes “common sense will prevail” and the Federal Government will reverse plans for a new biosecurity levy to be introduced later this year. It comes after 50 farming groups have united to pen a joint letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling for the immediate and urgent reversal of a biosecurity levy meant to take effect on July 1. The levy, when implemented, would see primary producers paying an additional 10 per cent on top of what they already pay for in agricultural levies. The purpose of the levy is to secure consistent funding to protect Australia’s $90 billion agriculture sector from diseases and pests, but a recent report by the Productivity Commission said it would be “unlikely” for those who paid the levy to see where the funding is being spent. GPA was one of the farming bodies to co-sign the letter, with its chair Barry Large calling the levy “unpalatable.” “Australian producers take biosecurity seriously on our farms every single day,” Mr Large said. “That’s why we already pay significant amounts to fund biosecurity protections directly within our own businesses. We also pay directly through other compulsory industry levies that raise hundreds of millions of dollars – including biosecurity levies.” The joint letter referred to the Productivity Commission’s report published this year, which concluded the growing number of levies farmers cop would hurt productivity growth as primary producers face higher costs. In the letter, 50 farming bodies urged the Treasury to conduct detailed economic analysis and modelling of the levy, in addition to including criteria to label agricultural producers the only beneficiaries of the biosecurity system. Summerfruit Australia CEO Trevor Ranford said the levy would unfairly punish paying producers who are now facing more costs, and urged the Government to reverse it. “This decision would help start the process of repairing the damage that’s already been inflicted on trust and confidence in the existing levy system, and key partnerships with producers,” he said. “It will also allow a more considered approach to accommodate levy payers’ concerns.” Mr Large said while he didn’t know what the Government’s next steps were, he hoped they would listen to united calls of producers and farmers across Australia. “You would hope common sense will prevail,” he said. “At then end of the day, the WA Government showed common sense when they repealed the heritage act when they realised it wasn’t fit for purpose. The Federal Government needs to take a leaf and resend this. It’s not fit for purpose.” Despite serious opposition to the levy, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry maintains biosecurity is a “shared responsibility” and everyone must be “contributing to its cost.” “We understand that many industry stakeholders are concerned about the Government’s decision to implement the biosecurity protection levy,” a department spokesperson said. “The Government conducted extensive consultation during 2023 and is considering adjustments to the levy to address concerns raised around fairness and equability. We appreciate industry’s engagement on the issue.”