LANDHOLDERS bordering the tick line in the south Burnett would like to see more regulation - not less - as suggested in the proposed changes to biosecurity regulations for Queensland.
AgForce's vice-president elect Georgie Somerset, who lives on the tick line, said AgForce was working with the department to make sure the tick line was clarified and maintained, but that everyone in the tick-free area would like to see the line moved north.
- Option one - to maintain the current provisions.
- Option two - to create two biosecurity zones - infested and free, with movement restrictions on livestock.
- Option three - to "rely on the general biosecurity obligation" where landholders would be responsible for not spreading ticks.
"We don't see option three as being a viable or palatable option for industry, but there are some good options in two but we need more added to it," she said.
Ms Somerset said option three, to leave the issue with the producer, does not take into account the impact it would have on people's businesses.
"We breed our cattle to meet market specifications and have to blend that with the capacity of our natural resources, so the paper doesn't take into account the business and the impact it would have," Ms Somerset said.
Agforce had not finalised where it was at on the issue, but was looking at a clear definition of the line and working with industry to make sure it was a manageable and maintainable line, she said.
It was also about supporting those on the line and helping them maintain the tick-free line.
"What we are looking for is for the regulation to give more capacity to enforce the zone, so if we have tick-free and tick infection, we have the biosecurity to enforce the zone."
Ms Somerset said the South Burnett region went through a period of having reduced resources on the ground, where was not the regulation to enforce the tick-free area.
"One of the issues is that people who move in don't understand how to treat cattle ticks and then there are fewer people on the ground to help - and it currently lies with people to take on that responsibility."
Chairman of the Kingaroy Wondai Proston Tick Eradication Committee Graeme Wicks is not impressed with the three options and said the language used in the opening statements in the regulatory impact statement released for public consultation set the tone.
"The use of the words like 'prescriptive', 'onerous', 'confusing' is pretty much saying that what we have is no good and has got to go."
Mr Wicks said option two appeared to preferred by the department and said it relied on landholders to self-regulate and select their own treatments.
"It's like putting the fox in charge of the hen house," he said.
"Some people will do the right thing but then circumstances will dictate their actions."
Mr Wicks was also critical of the statement's talk about cost-savings of $5-$10 a head by not having people on the ground clearing the cattle on route from tick areas to tick-free areas.
"It is worrying that they are expecting more production and profitability but then our resources are cut and people who are supposed to help us are being taken away."
There was no mention of the enormous benefits of being tick-free.
"They haven't taken into account the impact of tick infestation and the impact on weight gain, and also the advantage of having British and European breeds for the market.
"I have examples of a 50 percent dressing animal and a 60pc dressing animal and you are talking about hundreds of dollars difference."
By looking at these benefits, why not eradicate ticks, he asked.
Producers with Bos Indicus content cattle in the tick area who say they don't have a problem with tick burden would only need to do minimal treatments to eradicate the pest.
"It's a management issue and if you're not prepared to manage that you will have an issue with ticks, parasites and diseases."
A red herring in the proposal was the impact of transport on the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns, yet "I have never seen cattle trucks holding up the traffic".
"This doesn't have anything to do with it."
Mr Wicks said there should be two zones - tick-free and ticky - but producers who straddle the zone need to be subsidised to manage that tick problem.
There are levies for all sorts of things - including a proposal for a PIC levy to upgrade the record-keeping system - so why not ask for a few cents to help producers on the tick line maintain the tick-free status, he asked.
Both Mr Wicks and Mrs Somerset have urged producers to put in their submissions, which close on November 21.
