LENS snail was a contentious topic at the recent Grain Producers SA annual general meeting, where frustrations boiled over about the state government's recently-imposed additional 11-cent levy on the grains industry.
Parilla graingrower Wade Dabinett asked Primary Industries Minister David Basham on the day why the SA grain industry was taking on the burden of the levy, when the exotic pest posed a potential threat to other plant-based industries.
"The state government is forking out tens of millions of dollars for other biosecurity issues, like fruit fly, and eradicating other pests, yet they are unable to even cover half the amount of money needed to protect the biggest agricultural industry in the state?" he told Stock Journal.
"As a graingrower, I'm expected to pay for the eradication of this pest when neither federally or at a state level, the agencies responsible are unable to tell me exactly what the market access issues are above our existing issues with snails, and whether grain, and SA in particular, is the only plant-based industry that is affected and therefore should be funding 100 per cent of the eradication?
Farmers would be in favour of the eradication, but I don't believe they would support shouldering the whole cost.
- WADE DABINETT
"There may have been consultation on the new levy, but I believe it was totally at the Minister's discretion. Farmers would be in favour of the eradication, but I don't believe they would support shouldering the whole cost.
"The government should not be using the Grain Industry Fund scheme to pay for it either, that money is meant to be for advocacy and research and development, not for funding Biosecurity SA.
"It is setting a new dangerous precedent and it's not good enough."
Lens snail was first detected at a Largs North property in 2018 and since then, three adjacent premises have also been put under strict biosecurity orders.
Further surveillance has not detected lens snail anywhere else in SA.
Grain Producers SA chairman Adrian McCabe said the organisation was only made aware of the incursion last year, after attempts to raise eradication funds federally had failed as lens snail was "not considered an exotic pest or a threat nationally".
"We have been playing catch up since then," he said.
"Biosecurity SA approached GPSA as the state's peak grain body and asked if we wanted to let this get out, which of course we said no and the state government also didn't want that either.
"So we had to get moving and get [eradication] happening quickly."
It is estimated eradicating lens snail in SA will cost nearly $1.7 million.
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At Grain Producers SA AGM, Mr McCabe said the organisation "certainly did not suggest that SA growers pay for [the eradication of lens snail]".
"But we were told [by the state government] if we wanted to fund lens snail biosecurity, this was how it would occur," he said.
"The government asked GPSA to consult with growers to make sure that's what they wanted and through our consultation, we found that growers were unhappy about being in charge of biosecurity, but understood that the Board recommended lens snail should be eradicated.
"Hopefully this is a once-off situation and we can work with the Minister in the future to rectify gaps in biosecurity management so that this doesn't happen again."
Primary Industries Minister David Basham said after meeting with GPSA late last year, it was decided that given the lack of support at a national industry level and budgetary pressures, the state government would fund eradication measures up front, with costs to be recovered from the industry in line with similar situations across the country.
"Given the significant cost of the fruit fly control effort, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions did not have available funds to pay for the industry-initiated lens snail eradication and proof of freedom program," he said.
"At the request of the SA grains industry, the government is delivering a four-year eradication program targeted on the Largs North area to provide proof of freedom of this pest and provide certainty to our export markets.
Lens snail is considered by the industry as a potential grains pest. This is why the current cost recovery arrangements apply only to the grains sector.
- DAVID BASHAM
"With the support of GPSA, a temporary increase in grains industry fund contributions has been implemented recover the eradication costs."
Mr Basham said there was limited published information about lens snail and its impacts.
"However, considering the problems caused by other introduced snails for grain producers in southern Australia, lens snail is considered by the industry as a potential grains pest," he said.
"This is why the current cost recovery arrangements apply only to the grains sector.
"I commend Grain Producers SA for showing great leadership on this issue when faced with the choice to either eradicate or manage lens snail in South Australia and we will continue to work with them to eradicate this pest."
Mr McCabe said the eradication program had begun.
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