Beef Producers Urged to Speak Up Over Levy
AUSTRALIA - The $5 cattle transaction levy is under review and all beef producers are being encouraged to have their say.
An independent levy payer committee has undertaken a review of all aspects of the beef marketing levy and what it delivers to producers and the industry. The Committee unanimously recommended retaining the levy at the current level of $5 per head.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Chairman Don Heatley said that the final decision now rests with beef producers.
“The levy is contributing to a range of marketing programs in Australia and overseas to further grow demand for Australian beef by promoting its attributes in the face of fierce competition’” said Mr Heatley.
“Australia has established a unique reputation as a safe and reliable supplier of high quality beef and it is imperative that we maintain this position in the face of critical challenges such as mounting attacks on our environmental integrity”.
Members of MLA should recently have received their levies notices in the mail with information on how to participate in the Beef Levy Review 2009.
The information members provide in the levies notice is the means by which members inform MLA about the amount of levies paid during the previous financial year. It is important to complete and return this notice by 6 October 2009 in order to receive full voting entitlements for 2009-10. This includes members’ voting entitlements for MLA’s annual general meeting in Darwin on 19 November 2009.
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