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Red meat industry seeks $20m for NLIS
29 Mar 2004
The Cattle Council of Australia, the Australian Meat Industry Council, the Australian Lot Feeders' Association, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Dairy Farmers have drafted a submission seeking $20 million to help introduce the National Livestock Identification System. The submission was delivered to the Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister and Trade Minister last Tuesday.
The industry wants a one-off $20 million federal grant over three years to provide start-up subsidies for electronic ID devices, to ease beef and dairy producers' entry into the NLIS.
The submission states that in 2003 the Primary Industry Ministerial Council said the NLIS would become mandatory but no agreement was reached on funding. It claims this lack of cost-sharing between governments and producers is causing "significant disturbance" in the cattle industry. The absence of federal funding is being used as an excuse by some state governments not to provide funding for this issue, particularly in Queensland, the submission argues.
The Land, 27/3/04.
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