JAKE Holzheimer is no stranger to tough seasons.

A second-generation hay and lucerne agent in the Lockyer Valley, he’s seen his fair share of dry spells, floods, and pests.

But the battle he is fighting now, he said, isn’t with nature – it’s with bureaucracy.

For two years, Mr Holzheimer has been calling on state and federal authorities to overhaul the National Fire Ant Eradication Program (NFAEP) – a 24-year-old initiative he says is punishing compliant producers, crippling rural businesses, and failing to adapt to its own evidence.

“We’ve had enough,” Mr Holzheimer said.

“At this rate, people’s family farms that have been around for generations won’t be here for much longer.”

At the heart of Mr Holzheimer’s criticism is what he sees as a “blanket, one-size-fits-all” approach by the NFAEP that treats professionally grown, low-risk fodder products the same as mulch, sugarcane and untreated soil.

“The NFAEP has failed to differentiate between professional hay production and actual high-risk vectors,” he said.

“We’ve been placed under the same restrictions as people moving turf or topsoil – despite 24 years of clean trading history and zero fire ant detections linked to professionally grown hay.”

In July, Mr Holzheimer attended the NFAEP’s “Hay Day” event in Ma Ma Creek, where even senior officers acknowledged the inconsistencies.

At the event, senior Biosecurity operations officer Scott Templeton admitted that in 25 years on the job, he had only ever encountered one case of fire ants nesting against hay bales stored on the ground in a shed.

Yet, despite this, hay remains a restricted commodity, and producers face complex and often contradictory compliance requirements.

Mr Holzheimer’s solution is straightforward: a producer-led accreditation scheme that would empower landowners to uphold biosecurity standards through training, site certification and record-keeping – providing a pathway for low-risk producers to trade freely.

“This would be cost-free, downloadable, and managed by the people who have the most to lose if fire ants spread – us,” he said.

“It reduces unnecessary inspections, supports trade confidence, and frees the NFAEP to focus on genuine high-risk pathways.”

The idea has gained traction among producers and was even acknowledged by NFAEP officers as having merit during the Hay Day meeting. A follow-up meeting has been proposed, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Mr Holzheimer estimated some local businesses have suffered up to 50 percent in lost sales due to market restrictions and buyer uncertainty. At a recent meeting of 30 fodder producers in the Lockyer Valley, the combined financial impact was estimated in the tens of millions – a figure that continues to grow.

He’s also concerned about the mental health toll on farming families facing fines, uncertainty, and the threat of further restrictions.

“There’s fear and confusion about what’s legally required,” he said.

“Biosecurity officers are issuing fines based on misinterpretations of the law, such as re-treatment frequencies that don’t exist in legislation.”

In one case, a farmer was fined for not re-spraying a chemical perimeter during wet weather – despite safety guidelines prohibiting chemical application in such conditions.

“The law provides for discretion and reasonable excuse,” Mr Holzheimer said.

“But officers don’t use it. Instead, they wield it like a weapon.”

Despite repeated attempts to involve political representatives, Mr Holzheimer said meaningful action remained elusive.

Lockyer Valley MP Jim McDonald (LNP) has expressed verbal support for the accreditation concept but declined to attend the Hay Day event and has not visited affected farms. Mr Holzheimer has sent multiple detailed emails – outlining both the problem and the solution.

“I’m glad Jim shares our frustration, but frustration alone doesn’t lift restrictions or save businesses,” he said.

“We need advocacy. We need leadership. And we need it now.”

In one email exchange between Mr Holzheimer and Mr McDonald, the program’s flaws were highlighted in that the Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) – a key scientific assessment underpinning fire ant policy – had been submitted but did not include individual risk assessments for high-value baled materials like lucerne.

That omission, Mr Holzheimer argued, perpetuates flawed assumptions and delays real reform.

Much of the pain stemmed from New South Wales’ refusal to lift a long-standing ban on fodder from Queensland’s fire ant zones – a decision that Holzheimer believes is increasingly indefensible.

“Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of fodder have crossed that border for decades without a single linked outbreak,” he said.

“Even NFAEP officers now admit the risk is low. But NSW refuses to budge.”

Further damaging the industry’s reputation was a public comment made earlier this year by Queensland’s Chief Biosecurity Officer Dr Rachel Chay, who said during flood conditions: “It is not worth the risk to supply fodder sourced from within the fire ant exclusion zone.”

“That kind of statement, combined with a photo of a horse with rain scald, just drives fear into people,” Mr Holzheimer said. “How is that supporting an industry with a 24-year clean record?”

Despite the setbacks, Mr Holzheimer remained focused on solutions.

“I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m asking for fair, evidence-based regulation,” he said.

“That means separating professional producers from backyard operators. It means training, certification, and trade freedom – paired with accountability and transparency.”

He’s extended an open invitation to Mr McDonald and Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett to visit Lockyer Valley farms, view practices firsthand, and help advocate for NSW to lift the border ban.

“Let’s work together,” he said. “Because, right now, if nothing changes, we’re going to lose more than just income – we’re going to lose legacies.”

What Jake Holzheimer wants:

· Accreditation scheme for professionally grown hay based on training, certification, and on-farm inspections

· PRA revision to separate lucerne and other high-value products from mulch, sugarcane, and straw

· Public promotion of clean, low-risk fodder to rebuild buyer confidence

· Visits from MPs to understand the real-world impacts and press for NSW to lift its ban

· Fair enforcement of Biosecurity Act laws and use of officer discretion for genuine compliance.