Egg producers hit with another levy

 In its latest Budget, the Australian Labor Government has imposed another levy on egg farmers.

The laying chickens levy was first introduced in 1988. All laying chickens in Australian hatcheries attract the  levy. The department collects and disburses the levy to Animal Health Australia, Australian Eggs Limited and the National Residue Survey to fund activities including animal biosecurity projects, pest and disease incursion responses, research and development and animal product residue monitoring.

The total of levies paid was15.27 cents per laying chicken now an extra 3.25 cent biosecurity levy has been added, taking the total payable to 18.52 cents which is a big hit for major producers who replace millions of birds every year. Commercial layer flocks in this country total about 20 million hens.