THE State Election may finally spark some action on WA's regional saleyard system after the Liberal Party announced its agricultural policy in Miling on Monday.
Opposition Leader Colin Barnett said if elected, the party would proceed with an upgrade of the Katanning and Mt Barker saleyards.
Mr Barnett said the party would also ensure food security through development of the Ord and Gascoyne region, fast track the relocation of the Agriculture Department to the new State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre at Murdoch University, fast track the Muchea Livestock Centre saleyards construction and trial genetically modified canola.
The upgrade to regional saleyards is an issue that all sectors of the industry agree needs to take place as soon as possible.
Both WAFarmers and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) have it on their election wish lists and the government has indicated that it supports the upgrade but has not committed to what form that assistance would take or how much funding would be devoted to it.
Mr Barnett said the State Labor Government had ignored farming.
"Evidence of that is the unwarranted delay in building the new Muchea saleyards and the upgrade of the Katanning and Mt Barker saleyards," Mr Barnett said.
"That project has stalled and yet the money from the sale of the Midland saleyard site is there in the bank waiting to be spent.
"We will stop the delay and bring on the construction of the Muchea saleyards. This is basic infrastructure for the meat and live export industries in this state and should have been done a long time ago."
Agriculture Minister Kim Chance said the Liberals were only supporting the government's agricultural policies.
"The Liberal Party is supporting the government's approach to the upgrading of regional saleyards at Katanning, Mt Barker and the South West," Mr Chance said.
"Their promise to build a livestock centre at Muchea and relocate the Agriculture Department to Murdoch University is effectively supporting two projects the government has already started."
National Party agricultural spokesman Terry Redman said his party supported industry's view that the saleyard system should come under the control of the one entity.
"We support using the money from the sale of Midland for all saleyards," Mr Redman said.