CATTLE TRANSACTION LEVY

Q: Do you know where your levy money goes?

A: 73% to MLA marketing, 18% to MLA R&D, 6% to NRS and 3% to AHA.

Cattle Australia is inviting all cattle producers to complete their Cattle Transaction Levy Survey (which is quite brief).

You can read their message here: Survey: Cattle Transaction Levy Review Committee seeks your views

The PGA has made a comprehensive submission to the Cattle Transaction Levy (CTL) Review Committee, representing the interests of WA pastoralists and graziers in this critical review process—the first since 2006.

Our Position

We do not support a simple increase to the current $5 per head levy. Instead, we are advocating for structural reform based on four core principles:

• Move to an ad valorem (percentage-based) levy with a floor and ceiling to ensure fairness. Under the current flat rate, a producer selling a $600 cull cow pays the same as one selling a $3,000 feedlot steer—that is not equitable.
• No net increase in total levy collected from producers above current levels.
• Reallocate expenditure—reduce the proportion spent on marketing and increase funding for Research & Development, Animal Health Australia, and the National Residue Survey.
• No future compulsory levy funds to be directed to advocacy bodies or agri-political activities of any kind.

Unlocking Value First

The PGA strongly endorses the Committee’s finding that the greatest failure is not the levy rate but the underutilisation of matched R&D funding from government. Every dollar of R&D levy attracts a dollar of Commonwealth matching. Before any discussion of increasing the levy, we insist the industry demonstrates it fully utilises these existing matched funds.

No New Compulsory Levies

We are deeply cautious about proposals for new compulsory levy streams for biosecurity and integrity systems. Biosecurity is primarily a government responsibility, and integrity systems should be funded through user-pays models or voluntary contributions—not universal compulsory levies.

Protecting Members’ Interests

The PGA has also drawn a clear, non-negotiable line: no compulsory levy funds to advocacy bodies. We recommend this prohibition be hardened into legislation, not left to policy commitments that can be changed. If industry representation requires additional funding, it should be through a voluntary check-off system or membership fees—not compulsion.

The review will proceed with face-to-face consultation sessions from July to August 2026, with recommendations expected to go to a producer vote at the MLA AGM in November. The PGA will continue to represent your interests at every stage.