Key appointments for industry biosecurity

The new industry-based management committees that oversee the three biosecurity and agriculture Industry Funding Schemes have made several key appointments.

Industry Funding Schemes for the cattle, grain seed and hay, and sheep and goat industries were initiated in 2010 under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable the collection of funds on the sale of produce for industries to address priority biosecurity issues.

Department of Agriculture and Food executive officer for the funding schemes, Rebecca Heath, said the schemes provided an opportunity for farmers in Western Australia to decide which established pests and diseases were priority issues for their industry and to raise funds for programs to address them.

"Nominations for the committees were sought from industry when the inaugural memberships recently expired," Ms Heath said. "The Minister for Agriculture and Food Ken Baston appointed the new committee members based on recommendations from an appointments committee."

David Jarvie has been appointed chairman of the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme. Mr Jarvie said he looked forward to working with the new committee to manage producer contributions to programs that maintain Western Australia's animal health status and promote continued access to export markets.

Barry Large is the chairman of the Grain, Seed and Hay Industry Funding Scheme which currently funds programs to control skeleton weed and eradicate three-horned bedstraw.

"I look forward to working closely with the new committee and industry to make sure funds are used in the most effective way on our priority issues," Mr Large said.

Chairman of the Sheep and Goats Industry Funding Scheme Committee, Jeff Murray, identified the inclusion of pastoral and agricultural sheep and goat producers into the Scheme in 2013/14 as an important step forward.

"We currently provide funding for a virulent footrot control program and we are building this scheme to enable timely access to funds for any potential biosecurity issues that may arise in this State," Mr Murray said.

More information on the three Schemes and committees can be found at biosecurity.wa.gov.au

The newly appointed Committees are:

Cattle: David Jarvie (Chairman), Wendy Brockhurst, Craig Forsyth, John Fry, John Giumelli, Tony Hiscock and Graham Nixon.

Grains, Seeds & Hay: Barry Large (Chairman), Tim Cattle, Ron Creagh, Chris Gillam, David Leake, Suzanne Woods and Brian Young.

Sheep and Goats: Jeff Murray (Chairman), Warren Gray, Jorgen Jensen, Steve Meerwald, John Moyes, Ed Rogister and David Slade.