Week Ending 12/10/18
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The next storm clouds gathering over our industry would appear to be the new rules and regulation’s about to be imposed on us by the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) with regards to the loading of livestock.
Whilst not having much knowledge of trucks and the trucking industry it seems strange that an industry which is nationwide appears to have different rules from state to state.
People who profess to know about these matters suggest that load rules in NSW and Victoria are different to the rules that apply in Queensland and South Australia, why would this be the case?
Forbes and Dubbo to my knowledge are currently the initial targets for these new law’s to be enforced. All saleyards across the state should recognise that this would only be “the thin edge of the wedge”.
Council and saleyards in private ownership should be going to their organisations and taking measures to see if some form of fairness and sanity can be restored before this matter gets out of hand.
Graziers who cart their own stock will also be targeted by these new rulings they should have their representatives the NSW Farmers Association to the forefront of all negotiations.
It has been suggested to the writer that many small farm trucks when they arrive or depart a saleyard complex would be overloaded.
For those who have not read The Land Newspaper for Thursday 4th October it is worth the cost price to read the interview/article done in a discussion with Mr Steve Loane general manager of Forbes Shire Council.
In this coverage Mr Loane correctly outlines the huge costs which will be incurred by his council if this impost goes ahead.
The money needed to be spent is enormous and as indicated in the article these costs would be past on to the consumer, i.e. graziers.
Dubbo saleyards acts as a transit point for stock going North, South and currently vice versa.
The stock are unloaded and spelled for 24/48 hours or longer whatever is required.
During this period, they are very well fed and watered in a soft bed feed yard.
When they are re-loaded to continue their journey, the truck is refuelled the stock have had a day or two laying about eating to capacity.
If that truck suddenly is a touch overweight is the hay contractor at fault? Hopefully somebody in a position of authority will devise a sensible solution before this unholy mess is legislated.
Recent rain and the prospect of more to come saw a dramatic downturn in numbers here at Dubbo’s Prime cattle sale on Thursday 11th October.
Authorities scanned a touch over 1300 head in a market which saw most cattle sell to higher rates most noticeable was the number of new faces involved in the pursuit of restocking weaner cattle.
All the regular backgrounder etc from the north were still in the mix but for first time in a long time they had competition from Dubbo and the surrounding districts.