With less than five weeks till new biosecurity protocols come into force Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson is keeping farmers in the dark about the government’s new regulations.
LNP Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Shadow Minister Dale Last said the level of concern and angst over the Minister’s failure to release the new regulations had reached new levels this week - heightened by government advertisements warning about foot-and-mouth disease.
“It’s impossible to follow what’s going on,” Mr Last said.
“Maybe there’s been a mix-up at the printers, because industry is anxiously waiting for the new biosecurity regulations covering pests such as wild dogs and weeds, animal pests such as ticks and plant diseases and property registration fees.
“Instead of any detail on what’s happening with the new regulations, the Minister appears to have ticked-off on a coloured flyer on foot-and-mouth disease and yet another review that apparently ends June 30 – the same time the new biosecurity regulations come into force.
“It’s all very confusing and hardly helpful to our livestock and crop farmers who are being kept on the dark on a whole range of important issues, not least of which is bovine Johne’s disease, cattle ticks and the tick line.”
Mr Last called on the Minister to focus on finalising and finally releasing the new regulations.
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