{"id":246671,"date":"2019-10-24T12:58:37","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T02:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=246671"},"modified":"2019-10-25T22:38:53","modified_gmt":"2019-10-25T12:38:53","slug":"flexible-tick-line-unveiled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2019\/10\/24\/flexible-tick-line-unveiled\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Flexible’ Tick Line Unveiled"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October 24, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Property owners either side of the current Queensland tick line can now apply to either opt in or opt out of clean country.<\/p>\n

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said landholders could now apply to have the tick line moved in relation to their property\u2019s location under a new system developed in consultation with producers and other livestock industry stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Mr Furner said the more flexible approach was developed after 12 community meetings across the State.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been overwhelming support for this new process where a landholder or group of landholders who believe their properties are not in the correct zone, can apply to be rezoned,\u201d Mr Furner said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis approach allows for an ongoing review process at any given time, instead of having a fixed review every few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose applying to have their zoning status changed will need to meet a range of detailed criteria to ensure any changes achieve a strong, sustainable tick line for Queensland.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Furner said the current Queensland cattle tick line was established in 2016 followed by a commitment to reviewing its operation after two years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, a number of properties were included in each of the zones that were not the preferred option of the property owners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis included areas being included in the cattle tick free zone with a high level of infestation, and vice versa.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognise that a one size fits all approach doesn\u2019t work for everybody and that\u2019s why we\u2019ve developed this more flexible system to better accommodate producers\u2019 varying circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo achieve this, we partnered with AgForce to conduct a series of seminars in 2018 attended by more than 300 producers, followed by further meetings this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI established the Cattle Tick Line Review Working Group, which included members from AgForce, Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation, Animal Health Australia, Australian Livestock and Property Agents and a private landholder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese members provided invaluable advice and guidance for the development of this policy and they are to be commended for their contribution.”<\/p>\n