Federal Member for Nicholls, Sam Birrell MP, is urging farmers and families across the region to help stop Labor’s fresh food tax, by registering interest to have their say online.

Consultation has now opened into Labor’s Sustainable Funding to Strengthen Biosecurity 
Have Your Say – Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Mr Birrell said farmers and families in Nicholls would be impacted by Labor’s new tax, which
would push up the price of fresh food.

“In my electorate of Nicholls 4,295 farmers are likely to be affected by this new tax, which
comes into effect on July 1, 2024,” Mr Birrell said.

“Farmers make up 6.1 percent of workers in our electorate. Farmers are critical to our region as they support rural communities and provide us with fresh, healthy and affordable
food.

“There are also significant flow on benefits to other sections of the local economy.

“The new tax on farmers will inevitably be passed onto consumers, which means even
higher grocery bills for locals, who many, are already struggling with the cost of living.

“I am determined to stop this new tax on our farmers and our food. I urge locals in Nicholls
to register their interest, to help stop this senseless new tax,” he said.

The new tax is a biosecurity levy on farmers, set at a rate equivalent of 10 per cent of the 2020-21 industry-led levies.

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud, added it had been almost three months since the Budget and there was still no new information into the biosecurity levy.

“It is unfathomable the Labor government would ask farmers to pay for the biosecurity risks of international importers from other countries,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Instead of taxing farmers, a future Coalition Government will scrap this tax. Under our plan,
importers of foreign products will pay for the biosecurity risk they pose – not Australian
farmers.”

For more information go to www.haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-funding