Transaction Levy
Cattle Transaction Levy
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) recieves cattle transaction levies to deliver marketing and research services to beef cattle producers. In 2005, cattle producers voted in a national poll to increase the levy amount available for beef marketing from $3.50 to $5. The Minister for Agriculture at the time, Peter McGauran, established a sunset clause stating that the levy would revert back to $3.50 on January 1, 2011, unless an alternative proposal was put forward before this date.
An independent report from the 14-member Beef Marketing Funding Committee - released in May 2009 - found that the additional $1.50 levy, utilised for marketing by MLA, has delivered five times the investment back to producers.
The AgForce Cattle board has discussed and supports the committee's recommendation to retain a $5/head cattle transaction levy.
AgForce sits on the Cattle Council of Australia (CCA), which provides recommendations to the Federal Agricultural Minister on the levy and MLA’s operating plan.
AgForce has raised critical questions about the issues, challenges and opportunities for marketing Australian beef and live exports, and called for MLA to direct levy funding into this area.
Anyone who sells cattle is required to pay $5/head and although becoming a member of MLA gives access to services and information, it is only by supporting state farming groups like AgForce that producers can shape policy.
Oversight of MLA funds, on behalf of Queensland beef producers, is a core and critical activity for AgForce Cattle, and the board is urging all members to participate in the levy voting process at the MLA annual general meeting in Darwin on November 19, 2009.
Members can have their say by giving their proxies to AgForce Cattle president Grant Maudsley or MLA chairman Don Heatley, or voting in person at the AGM.
More information on the levy review process is available available on the MLA website or the following links: