Tasmanian beef producers are fighting to retain control of the major beef research & development funding body in the state.
In particular, they want to ensure that the State Government is unable to take control of trust funds built up over many years and to put them to general government use.
Under existing legislation governing the Tasmanian Beef Industry (Research and Development) Trust, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association Meat Council executive officer and two other beef producers are the three trustee members of the trust.
A government review proposes that the trustees also include representatives of the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE).
TFGA Meat Council chairman Brett Hall said it was inappropriate on several grounds.
“All the money held in the trust has been sourced from Tasmanian beef producers. Therefore, the control of the funds financial and operational management should be undertaken by beef producers,” Mr Hall said.
“The management of these trust funds has been sound. In fact, despite the global financial crisis, the investments have remained secure and profitable.
“Moving the funds into the Government’s hands increases the risk of the funds being eroded and the money being used for purposes outside beef research and development.”
Mr Hall said that because TIAR and DPIPWE were recipients of research funding from the trust it was inappropriate that they control the allocation of that funding.
“That is a clear conflict of interest,” he said.
“Peer review of the trust’s proposed research & development funding allocations could be carried out by such bodies as the Southern Australian Meat Research Council or Meat and Livestock Australia.
“I encourage all Tasmanian beef producers to make a submission to the review or we will have no control over where the funds are held or how they are allocated,” Mr Hall said.
Producers have until August 26 to make submissions to the government review.
