By Keith Tolmie
FOR livestock producers selling their stock through saleyards, meatworks or agents, payment of the transaction levy is generally an automatic process.
Saleyards, meatworks and agents pay the levy on producers’ behalf by deducting it from their remittance. This deduction should appear on statements for livestock sold.
However, for producers selling between properties, levy payment follows a different process.
For livestock that are sold between producers, such as from cattle breeders, there is still an obligation to pay the transaction levy. In this case, it is the responsibility of the seller to pay the levy.
As part of this process, the seller must lodge an annual return and make payment to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
It is the responsibility of cattle breeders and traders selling between properties to lodge a return and pay the levy.
This extends to walk in, walk out property sales that include livestock. There are a range of other scenarios around levy payment that are described on the department’s website.
Non-compliance with paying the levy incurs a penalty of 2 per cent per month, compounding.
This process is especially important to understand for producers who mostly sell stock through saleyards, for example, but occasionally sell stock directly to other property owners to help you avoid unknowingly not meeting your obligations to pay the levy.
The levy is collected by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and is used to fund agencies and activities including Meat & Livestock Australia, Animal Health Australia, and the National Residue Survey.
With any questions about levies and charges, levies accounts or how to lodge a return, contact the DAFF’s levies help desk at levies.management@daff.gov.au or 1800 020 619.
* Keith Tolmie is national compliance director, levies, at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
