AgForce urges industry to help ensure retention of primary producer vehicle registration concessions

This comes after a Queensland Country Life story raised issues of misuse by some producers who were allegedly competing with commercial operators.

AgForce ag business committee transport coordinator Caroline Harris said producers on the whole aren't trying to compete with transport operators.

Ms Harris said the body did not condone any abuse of the concession.

"Transport costs can represent up to 40 per cent of the value of Queensland broadacre agricultural products so schemes that put downward pressure on these costs, thousands of dollars per vehicle in the case of this concession, can add significantly to a farmer's financial bottom line," she said.

"The best way of seeing it retained is for users to abide by the requirements of the scheme.

"AgForce would not like to see any reduction in the benefits it provides for our members or wider industry. We will firmly oppose any moves to reduce its value to industry."

Ms Harris acknowledged that the heavy vehicle industry is a vital and essential part of the agricultural supply chain and AgForce will work with commercial truckies to find a solution.

"Further concessions to commercial operators carting ag produce may be worthy of further discussion in the future, where this doesn't dilute the value of the scheme for primary producers," she said.

"AgForce representatives have discussed the issue with LRTAQ previously and look forward to meeting again with LRTAQ President Gerard Johnson later next week to renew those discussions and work to find an agreed way forward."

AgForce said it does not support a 12-tonne vehicle limit to scheme eligibility as that would be too restrictive given the scale of agricultural operations.

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