Meat Industry Levy Regulation 2025

The NSW Food Authority sought feedback on proposed changes to the draft Meat Industry (Meat Industry Levy) Regulation in May 2025 and considered all submissions.

The new Meat Industry (Meat Industry Levy) Regulation 2025 is now in effect. The new Regulation remakes the previous 2016 Regulation with amendments.

There is no change in the Meat Industry Levy Regulation 2025 to the levy rate or maximum levy payable by producers.

Amendments include:

• Administrative amendments to reduce red tape for producers and improve clarity and efficiency with small cost savings for producers and government.
• The levy notification date now aligns with the Local Land Services Regulation 2014, providing consistency and clarity for producers.
• Notifying changes in occupancy or ownership of land is simplified to align with Local Land Services (LLS).
• Removal of a redundant $5 fee.
• The certificate issued by LLS regarding unpaid levies can be in a format determined by LLS.
• The Local Court can now hear levy disputes, making the process more efficient and accessible for producers and government.
• The interest on overdue levies is set consistent with LLS interest on overdue rates.
• Removal of paper-based methods of keeping the levy book.
• The Food Authority can now approve the form of notices, certificates and applications instead of being prescribed by the regulation.
• Modernised drafting to reflect modern drafting standards.

The Meat Industry Levy Regulation supports the Meat Industry Act 1978, which requires meat producers in NSW to contribute a levy to partially fund the Food Authority’s work to ensure food safety in the meat supply chain.

Money collected by the Meat Industry Levy directly benefits NSW meat producers by funding essential compliance and enforcement activities to ensure safe and suitable food and to prevent misleading conduct. These activities include investigating meat-related foodborne illness outbreaks, testing for illegal chemical use at retail butchers, ensuring hygienic practices at abattoirs and meat processors, and investigating illegal slaughter operations.  

There is no duplication between the protections and food safety programs funded by the Meat Industry Levy and other relevant livestock industry programs ratepayers may contribute to.

Your meat industry levy contribution will continue to be shown on your LLS rates notice.

Next steps

As there are no operational changes, producers can continue business as usual while benefiting from a more streamlined and efficient process.

• Meat Industry (Meat Industry Levy) Regulation 2025
• You can read a summary of submissions received during public consultation, including the Food Authority’s responses here: Public Consultation Summary Report (PDF, 1.2 MB)

For more see Industry Levy