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Occupiers of land liable to pay an animal health rate to Local Land Services are also required to pay a meat industry levy.
The Meat Industry Act 1978 and the Meat Industry (Meat Industry Levy) Regulation 2016 outline how the levy is calculated including the:
- rate to be charged for each stock unit
- maximum levy payable.
The average meat industry levy per year is $14 and the maximum levy payable is $130.
Review
The NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) released an Issues Paper for NSW Local Land Services funding which includes the meat industry levy.
Contribution to food safety
The meat industry levy helps ensure that:
- the principle of 'through-chain' food safety management from farm to consumer is maintained
- meat is safe and suitable for consumption
- misleading conduct in the sale of food is prevented
- the Food Standards Code is applied to businesses processing and selling meat in NSW.
Levy funds are used for:
- enforcing the branding of meat
- enforcing food labelling of meat products
- conducting investigations into meat substitution, illegal slaughter and unlicensed meat businesses
- participating in national standard setting processes related to meat
- educating the meat industry through food safety program audits and inspections.
Collection
The NSW Food Authority has an agreement with Local Land Services to collect the levy from liable ratepayers each year.
Local Land Services deliver the front line livestock health service in NSW. They work with landholders to safeguard agricultural production from the biosecurity risks posed by disease and pests. They also manage travelling stock reserves, stock movement and identification, and assist with drought relief.