More than 50 agricultural groups have joined forces to urge the federal government to scrap its “grossly unfair” biosecurity levy, due to come into effect on July 1 this year.
Farmers will pay almost $48 million a year to help bankroll Australia’s revamped biosecurity funding system via the new levy on all products, announced in last year’s federal budget.
As part of the new biosecurity funding model, grassfed cattle producers will pay an extra 50 cents per head while cotton growers will need to pay an extra 22.5 cents per 227kg bale. Horticulture and aquaculture producers will also be affected at varying rates per kilogram of produce.