Australian farmers are concerned the federal government is about to hit them with extra biosecurity fees and have called for importers to pick up the bill instead.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has previously flagged a change to how biosecurity is funded, with a commitment to a sustainable funding source.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s budget, Tony Mahar from the National Farmers’ Federation said any move to charge producers more for biosecurity would be “a kick in the guts”.
“Farmers are paying their fair share already,” Mahar told AAP.
“They pay hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of a whole range of levies and fees and charges that go towards maintaining a strong biosecurity regime.”…