Industry Levies
Meat, fibre and diary goat producers contribute to the funding of research, development and marketing activities for their commodity through levies.
Transaction levy
The Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA) is responsible for managing and making recommendations to the Minister for the distribution of the goat transaction levy income.
Legislation stipulates that the transaction levy is collected at a rate of 37.7 cents per head.
The current division of this levy to relevant levy funded organisations is as follows:
- Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) marketing: 10.5 cents
- MLA research and development: 16.7 cents (which is matched with Australian Federal Government funds)
- Animal Health Australia (AHA): 4.5 cents
- National Residue Survey (NRS): 6 cents
Goat fibre levy
A levy is payable on goat fibre to provide funding for R&D programs carried out via AgriFutures. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foresty (DAFF) Levies Revenue Service (LRS) receives the funds and forwards them to AgriFutures, in addition to distributing the Australian Government’s matching R&D contributions. Levies and export charges are introduced and administered by the Australian Government at the request of Industry.
The current levy on goat fibre is 1.5% of the sale value of the goat fibre.
Levy investment
Most of these levy funded organisation’s planning and expenditure programs are overseen by GICA.
Meat & Livestock Australia
MLA invests levies in the following core areas through its goat industry R&D program (Going into Goats):
- Increasing the volume and reliability of supply of goats and goatmeat.
- Developing the number and size of markets for Australian goats and goatmeat.
Animal Health Australia
AHA invests levies in the following core programs:
- National Animal Health Information Service
- National Arbovirus Monitoring Program
- National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program
- National Ovine Johnes Disease Program
- Exotic animal disease preparedness
- Goat Production Conditions
National Residue Survey
NRS invests levies to perform the following functions:
- Provide an independent, authoritative and scientifically rigorous audit of the chemical residue status of the Australian goat industry.
- Facilitate export certification and compliance with Australian legislative requirements.
- Provide scientific advice on residues and the management of residue related issues.
AgriFutures
AgriFutures undertakes R&D relating to goat milk and goat milk products as well as goat fibre through its New and Developing Animal Industries program. A key focus of AgriFutures program is improving production efficiencies, increasing research capability, testing the feasibility of new products, and researching the characteristics and market advantages of new animal products.