THE TWO representative organisations (ROs) legislated to be responsible for overseeing the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) have welcomed the development of a grain grower levy payer register.
The levy payer register came into effect on July 1 and both Grain Producers Australia (GPA) and Grain Growers have said the register will ensure greater transparency within the research and development (R&D) space.
Grain growers contribute 1.02 per cent of their net income to contribute to the GRDC, Plant Health Australia (PHA) and the National Residue Survey (NRS).
Of that, the vast majority (0.99pc) goes to the GRDC, with PHA getting 0.01pc, the NRS getting 0.015pc and emergency plant protection response getting the remaining 0.005pc.
On average over the past five years grower levies have been around $122 million, ranging from $51 million in a drought year to $139 million in a high production year.
The register will be administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture.
Among other things it allow the ability to access an annual return of levies paid and let the GRDC better determine the details of the levy payment.
In terms of the logistics of the register, nothing will change for growers, but grain buyers, responsible for collecting the levy, will provide more information to the government, including the farm business name, contact details and the amount of levies paid.
All information will remain securely with the Department of Agriculture and is covered by privacy laws.