EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986 No. 321
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industry
GRAIN LEGUMES LEVY ACT 1985
GRAIN LEGUMES LEVY REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The Grain Legumes Levy Act 1985 provides for the imposition of a levy on leviable grain legumes. The levy is used to finance a research program arranged under the Rural Industries Research Act 1985. In addition the Commonwealth Government contributes money to the program on a dollar for dollar basis.
At present leviable grain legumes include only lupins and field peas. The grain legumes industry, through the Grains Council of Australia, has requested that the grain legume Vicia faba, (which includes mainly those crops commonly known as faba beans, field beans and broad beans), be included as a leviable grain legume. Production of Vicia faba in Australia has now reached a level where it is appropriate and practical for the species to be included under the grain legumes research arrangements.
The proposed regulations provide for the inclusion of Vicia faba as a leviable grain legume from 1 December 1986. The additional levy income will not become available for expenditure until 1987/88 and matching Government funds will apply in that year.