A RESEARCH project into Pimelea poisoning will get underway after AgForce negotiated funding with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
As reported in the Queensland Country Life last week, the Pimelea Project had applied for funding from the Producer Innovation Fast Track grant program which was heavily oversubscribed.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dale Last visited affected properties in Mitchell recently and was prepared to begin talks with both levels of government with a view to have funding put aside for research and development.
MLA have since come forward and offered support through their Donor Company funds.
Almost 40 western Queensland producers are among those who have pledged close to $400,000 in cash and in-kind donations to the research project which will be co-matched in the funding plan.
The research project will run until December 2017 focusing on developing a probiotic microbe drench that can degrade the toxin in the rumen before it affects the small intestine.
Funding for research beyond 2017 will be pursued in coming months.
AgForce General President Grant Maudsley said graziers, stock agents, agribusinesses and councils between Winton, Queensland to Broken Hill, New South Wales had been affected and desperately wanted answers.
“This is a brand new way for grass roots producers to drive research and development to deliver solutions to a major problem affecting their industry,” he said.
“Being able to start Pimelea research now is a fantastic outcome as it coincides with Pimelea plants and affected cattle being most prevalent.”
Landmark’s Rod Turner, who has been campaigning for action since a field day in Begonia last year, said everybody was thrilled about the news and finally they could see some light at the end of the tunnel.
“We hope that it swings into action as quickly as possible,” he said.
“People are petrified of another season of it. There have already been sightings of fresh Pimelea south of Roma so it’s going to be a continuing concern this season.”
MLA Donor Company CEO Christine Pitt said Pimelea was still under consideration in the Producer Innovation Fast Track grant program which had been a huge success.
“We’ve got well over $16 million worth of ideas and some of those haven’t yet fully been budgeted,” she said.
“It’s a new program for us that is focused on working with the grassroots of our producers and giving them a chance to have a voice with money from their own pocket. It allows them to start to identify what some of those key business issues are, things they see as being critical points.”
MLA is currently reviewing applications which included genetic work and entrepreneurial ventures.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
