MEMBERS of the National Wild Dog Management Advisory Group (NWDMAG) are disappointed that Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) will no longer fund some farmer representatives to attend their bi-annual meetings interstate.
Landholder representatives were notified last month that they would have to source their own trips interstate to attend the NWDMAG meetings, one of which is on this week.
NWDMAG chairman Brent Finlay said the decision was disappointing.
"I think most woolgrowers in Australia recognise the need for management of wild dogs, on a national scale and also on a state scale," he said.
"It's disappointing given that it is such a high priority for wool producers around Australia who are, and potentially could be, affected by wild dogs."
Acting AWI chief executive officer Stuart McCullough said the previous AWI on-farm research and development manager had an ad hoc agreement with some producers in March 2008 to fund them to go to the meetings.
Eight sets of accommodation and flights were paid for, but that agreement was no longer applicable.
Mr McCullough said AWI has spent $250,000 per year annually on its wild dog programs, and has spent millions of dollars on the wild dog issue since it reared it's head.
"Absolutely categorically we are not withdrawing our support, it remains a very high priority for us," he said.
"We're not willing to be a partial beneficiery but a total funding partner, a lot of people have a lot of interest in this being a sucess.
"We will still continue to fund our nominated representative.
"Every organisation has their representatives on the group, we're not going to be the ones that forfeit all the costs."
Mr Finlay said it will be difficult for landholders to organise self funding.
"It's disappointing to see this is what AWI has done with its priorities, but it has obviously had severe cutbacks in all its programs and whether it will fund anything in wild dogs in the future remains to be seen," he said.
Farmers have a huge part to play in management of wild dogs, which is why Mr Finlay said it's so important to fund their travel to the biannual meetings.
"Since the landholders have been involved in the group for the last 14 months, we've accomplished a lot, and we've raised the profile right across Australia of the wild dog issue," he said.
"These representatives take back what they learn to their home states and communicate that out through their networks."
Each of the NWDMAG's meetings is held in a different state in a different wild dog hotspot.
Mr Finlay said the dog issue was very similar all over Australia, but producers need specialised help and insight from other hotspot management techniques to gain control over the wild dog issues.
Mr Finlay said the NWDMAG will look at other avenues to fund the flights of landholder representatives.
"The NWDMAG is the peak group for managing wild dogs in Australia so we have to look at other funding sources to take over where AWI has pulled out," he said.
"This can't distract us because the wild dog issue is so important, so many people are relying on us and other people in wild dog management to bring the problem under control."
Northern Mallee Declared Species Group co-ordinator and Esperance woolgrower Scott Pickering was also disappointed AWI would no longer be funding farmers interstate travel to the NWDMAG's meetings.
In his letter to AWI, Mr Pickering described the move as counter productive to woolgrower's interests.
"I am a long-term wool producers, a registered Merino stud breeder and have large clientele in areas affected by wild dogs," he wrote.
"I personally believe as a woolgrower I do not receive fair representation from AWI and the removal of financial support for industry representatives on the NWDMAG only strengthens my beliefs.
"I strongly urge AWI to reconsider it's decision."
WAFarmers NWDMAG representative John Nankevill, Miling, said he was looking forward to presenting WA growers concern's at the meeting, but will now be staying home.
'We are really disappointed, if the program does not even have the funds to get the relevant people together then it is clearly either under funded or its policy needs changing to allow for the committee to meet face to face," he said.
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