| Author | Message | ||
     Gary_hartigan Forum Tragic Username: Gary_hartigan Post Number: 2783 Registered: 03-2003 |
Signing EADRA Horse owners ensuring an emergency response The Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) and the horse industry Why do we need a levy? If a serious disease occurs that affects horses (called an ‘emergency animal disease’ in the EADRA) and a major campaign is needed to get it under control, the horse community decides the maximum amount of money it will contribute as its share for combating the disease. This is 1% of the Gross value Product (GVP) for an animal sector. The most recent estimations of the GVP value for the horse sector is $3 billion dollars so 1% is $30 million. Because no one knows how much the total cost will be to combat a disease until the campaign is over, and the disease is eradicated or controlled , the Australian Government underwrites the response for the animal sector (it puts the money up front). The Government does this because it knows, because of the EADRA deed, that the animal sector has already decided how it would repay its share of the debt. The levy is a debt repayment option because almost all animal sectors do not have the money to repay the debt immediately. The levy is only collected after the share of the animal sector’s debt is determined by Animal Health Australia. All the costs of a disease campaign have to be justified before they are included in the debt amount calculation. Depending upon what resources were required to remove or control the disease, the debt may be any amount up to the maximum amount determined at the beginning of the campaign The maximum levy collection period is 10 years. It may take less than this period to pay off the debt. When will the levy collection start?. The present decision by the horse community is that the levy be an Emergency Disease levy and it is ‘zero rated’. This means the legislation to allow the collection of the levy is put into place (how to collect the levy when needed) but no levy is to be collected until the process described above occurs – there is a emergency animal disease outbreak, EADRA is activated, there is a campaign to remove or control the disease, a debt is generated that the animal sector is required to repay. Will the levy on the horse community be raised every time EADRA is activated. No. The levy will only become operational if the debt is to pay for a disease campaign to combat a disease that affects horses. There are 22 diseases listed in EADRA which can affect horses. For some of these diseases, the Government will pay all of the costs, in others either the horse community pays its share alone or it pays a share together with other animal sectors. We have had only one major emergency animal disease outbreak affecting horses within the last 30 years that has required the resources required to activate EADRA. Levy options A range of levy options have been suggested by the horse community via email to the Australian Horse Industry Council, through web-based forums, as decisions at formal meetings of horse sector associations and by direct email contact to this office. Approximately 400 associations and individuals made contact. Thank you everybody for the time and effort put into these responses. Every option suggested has been evaluated with the Horse Levy Working Group against the following guidelines. • The legality of the option as a levy (does it comply with the Australian Government requirements). • The definition for the levy option. The horse community, the supplier of the option and the government all need to be very clear about what the levy option is. • How equitable is the levy option across the horse community. With an animal sector as diverse as the horse community, we took notice of the options you considered to be fair for a large proportion of the horse industry. • How many units are there on which a levy can be placed – the greater the number of units, the less the actual levy per unit when it is required.. • How many ‘levy collection points’ are there? A levy collection point is the place where the levy money is collected to be remitted to the Government. The cost to collect a levy is as important as the number of units. The aim is to have a levy option which minimises ‘red tape’ and is relatively low cost to collect. If there are too many collection points, then this increases the cost of collection. As a rule of thumb, less than 200 levy collection points can be cost effective and manageable. The cost of collection will also be met by the industry sector. • The number of unknowns about the levy options. We could not determine or even estimate the number of units or collection points for some options. There just isn’t any information available. • Horse community attitude to the levy option. Some levy options had strong support by some sectors and very negative responses from others. This didn’t eliminate an option from the list because we have to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of every levy option. The only reason why options were eliminated was because they are not legal options for a levy. The levy options, in order of preference by the horse community respondents are: 1. Horse wormers – Products that include pastes, pellets, liquid formulations and other products defined and registered by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority to treat internal parasites in horses. Reliable figures available on the number of units sold each year. All levy collection points identifiable and considerably less than 200 Respondents considered this option covered all sectors of the community, even though the usage varied between horse owners. Regarded as a good base levy to combine with other options. 2. Manufactured horse feed – a product that is modified, an adulterated feed or specialist supplement that is produced and marketed for equines or identified as an equine specific consumable product. This definition does not currently include chaff products or specialist mineral additives. Reliable production figures but estimates on usage by the horse sector Majority of levy collection points identifiable and less than 200. Increasing usage of manufactured feed by some horse sectors. 3. Registration – definition not yet finalised but would include sectors with mandatory registration of horses or members. Reliable figures on horse numbers from some sectors, estimates from others. Some figures on membership from few sectors. Number of levy collection points unknown 4. Horse shoes Approximate figures on usage available. Levy collection points are identifiable Usage by some sectors, declining usage described by some respondents. 5. Events - no agreed definition on what constitutes a ‘unit’ to be levied. No reliable data on number of units or levy collection points 6. Microchips Electronic device used to identify the ownership of a horse with data contained in a database. Very few units currently available to be levied. 7. Slaughtered horses – horses consigned for human consumption to domestic or export markets. Very few units compared to other options. Already levied ($5 per horse) for chemical residue testing. 8. Horse gear - no clear definition as to type of product. No data on number of units or levy collection points. Two further options were suggested but, on advice, both were not considered as legal options for a levy. These are a levy on wagering and a levy on imported horses. The Next Step - Circulate these options to your horse groups. - We’ll need you to discuss these options with your horse groups and give us feedback by the second week of August (week starting 9 August). If you are holding a meeting: . Please make the EADRA and the levy an important item on any meeting of your organisation, society or committee agenda within the next 4 weeks and inform us of the discussion and outcomes of the meeting. To make sure that you capture all the relevant outcomes, please use the ‘proforma’ provided on our website (see weblink below and go to ‘Submission information’). By using the proforma you can ensure that all the information that the Government requires as evidence of your support is presented. If the matter has been recently discussed, please tell us the outcomes. You can send the form back by: email to Horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au – attention Dr Diane Ryan fax to(02) 46406300 mail to: Dr Diane Ryan, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, PMB 4008, Narellan NSW 2567. Where to get information? The website http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/aahc/horse-owners-and-the-eadra/horse-ow ners-and-the-eadra_home.cfm (or go to www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au and click on the Horse Industry and EADRA box) Who to contact? Do you have any other questions about this process? We can be contacted at: Dr Diane Ryan, Regional Veterinary Officer, Industry & Investment NSW - Horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au Dr Mike Bond, Animal Health Australia mbond@animalhealthaustralia.com.au Kim Percy, Animal Health Australia KPercy@animalhealthaustralia.com.au | ||
| Fran Forum Tragic Username: Fran Post Number: 6330 Registered: 08-2003 |
The zero rating is what everyone is missing. This levy won't happen at all until and unless there's another serious outbreak. We are NOT going to have to pay NOW... and this is what people can't understand. A woman actually phoned the EV last week and said to cancel her membership and deregister her horse because she refused to pay the $100 levy each year.. WHAT levy??? There ISN'T ONE.. UNLESS there's another outbreak.. people panic for no reaosn. Far better to read and absorb what Gary's put up. It is SO frustrating.. | ||
| Dancinggoat Forum Tragic Username: Dancinggoat Post Number: 7371 Registered: 03-2009 |
I'm with you 100% Fran | ||
| Gary_hartigan Forum Tragic Username: Gary_hartigan Post Number: 2786 Registered: 03-2003 |
It is frustrating Fran. I am not sure what we have to do to make people realise that there is NO UP FRONT LEVY. There are a good number of people 'busting their gut' to bring this to resolution, and all they get for their enormous effort is negative responses. Make no mistake - if we do not have an Agreement by December 1st 2010, pre-emptive EI Vaccination will become a reality. And if horse owners think that a levy, small as it will be is not affordable, I can assure everyone the alternative will be far, far more costly, and our sport in all its facets will be changed forever. | ||
| Judi Off Training Wheels Username: Judi Post Number: 88 Registered: 01-2010 |
Yes, Gary and pre emptive vaccination and the resultant costs will start NOW, not sit at zero like a levy until after any future outbreak! | ||
| Remlif Look Mum...no hands Username: Remlif Post Number: 125 Registered: 10-2009  |
Thanks for the update, I appreciate all the work being put into this. I hope a positive outcome will be agreed to soon. | ||
| Jewellia Forum Tragic Username: Jewellia Post Number: 494 Registered: 12-2009  |
where do the stupid rumours actually start? i don't get it. do they not actually seek to gain any insight to the issue before taking the enormous leap across the Grand Canyon a massively incorrect conclusion? god forbid there should be an outbreak of african horse sickness - i'm informed by a very reliable source that would lose 70 to 80 thousand horses before we got on top of it - will i pay a levy to pay for the response to eradicate the disease? you darn bet i will! | ||
| Gary_hartigan Forum Tragic Username: Gary_hartigan Post Number: 2795 Registered: 03-2003 |
Well said Jewellia. | ||
| Jewellia Forum Tragic Username: Jewellia Post Number: 495 Registered: 12-2009 |
okay this is going to trigger some people but please do not tell my you should be exempt from having to pay a levy for a response to a disease incursion because as just a consumer of horse products and services and not a trainer or a breeder or service provider YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE INDUSTRY. don't do it - it will make my eyes burst. if you are expecting that your horses will be adequately provided for and taken care of in a disease incursion and expect a common response regardless of fences, industry or purpose, council or state then you will need to contribute to the levy system. shared benefits means shared costs and vice versa. the amount of money that is being talked about in the highest levels of government/parliament (until the election put a hold on everything) was like $5 per horse or a few dollars per wormer or whatever - but its a pittance. just about eveyone involved is committed to the changes recommended by the Corrigan Review and THAT is the absolute frontline - improved and strenghtened quarantines to firstly stop diseases getting in - we don't have to pay a levy on quarantine services. it could 10 to 15 years before we have another exotic disease outbreak - hopefully never - then we will NEVER have to pay a levy - YAY!!! hands in the air with joy  | ||
| Trish On the Lead Username: Trish Post Number: 32 Registered: 12-2003 |
Spot on, Jewellia. You make a very good point that we domestic folk are not asked to pay the quarantine services which protect our border security. Full cost recovery was imposed on horse importers on 1 December 2009. This has resulted in a substantial hike in daily fees for horse accommodation in Eastern Creek from A$34/horse/day to A$196/horse/day. Getting back to the other point of your post. I agree. Surely there is one thing that unites us all, commercial or recreational - the horse "industry" or "community" - whatever people want to call us? Protection of the health and welfare of horses? ALL horse owners and service providers will benefit from eradication of an exotic or emergency disease of horses? Regarding African horse sickness, the death rate in susceptible populations can be as high as 95%. The disease is spread by insects, death occurs very suddenly and is not pretty. Not a disease we would want fight on our own. Like you, I fervently hope we will never have to activate a levy. But if in the distant future something crops up, what will the next generation of horse owners think of us if we, today's owners, had the chance to ensure a response to a serious disease outbreak but rejected it because we were not able to reach an agreement? | ||
| Jewellia Forum Tragic Username: Jewellia Post Number: 496 Registered: 12-2009 |
GO Trish!! we are sooo very lucky in this country where we MIGHT vaccinate once a year for strangles - an outbreak of which i beleive has occured in recent weeks near adelaide - i cannot remember the last case in the ACT Region - in 30 years - but still i vaccinate once a year because i travel with my horse to shows with horses from every state in Australia. i would not want to live in a situation like that in the US where they vaccinate a multiple times yearly for up to and perhaps beyond (depending upon state) for 9 or more diseases. we are so very fortunate right now but we should be contributing to the EADRA and Levy discussion at EVERY level but in a positive and constructive way with open and inquisitive minds rather than the sad little negative ones that seem to make the most noise. its actually somewhat of a miracle we have not yet encountered Foot and Mouth - given that it is so close - it exists in Indonesia - fishermen from that region visit the Nthn Territory, hide up the estuaries during the day, travel with their companion animals on their boats - goats, chooks, dogs, etc - they must come ashore somewhere - just another example of a disease being carried. insects on the wind - we really aren't that far away from everywhere. Trish is right - ANY of these diseases we do not want to fight on our own - we would be expecting some serious support - why would we expect anything for free? the only reason there were vaccinations during the EI Crisis was that the racing industry offered to pay for them. for goodness sake at least create a document that puts SOMETHING in place with the recognition and understanding that perhaps it is a living and breathing thing that can be further refined and improved but at least can we get something supportive together right now? | ||
| Swift On the Lead Username: Swift Post Number: 47 Registered: 05-2008 |
Bump | ||
| Jewellia Forum Tragic Username: Jewellia Post Number: 504 Registered: 12-2009 |
biggest issue of our time - BUMP! |
