Western Australia's peak farming organisations have called on the RSPCA to cease its activist campaign against the live export trade and focus on practical measures to prevent cruelty against domestic animals.

The WA Farmers Federation (WAFarmers) and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) were testifying before a parliamentary committee examining the funding and role of the RSPCA in WA.

The Legislative Council committee was established after Shooters and Fishers Party MP Rick Mazza raised concerns that the RSPCA was drifting from its core function into wholesale opposition to live exports.

Tony York from WAFarmers told the committee there was a growing perception among farmers that the RSPCA was anti-farming.

"The RSPCA is now widely regarded within the farming community as anti-farming and reflecting the views promoted by a number of animal activist groups, with an agenda of establishing animal welfare standards that go beyond regulatory requirements for farm animals," the federation said in its written submission.

Speaking outside the committee, Mr York said the farming sector's long relationship with the RSPCA had soured in recent years.

"Farmers are members of the public and we've always seen the RSPCA as the custodian of animal welfare. We've always believed that our industries have been good custodians of animals, and our welfare practices are sound and world leading," Mr York said.

"So it's disappointing that work and that relationship we have with the RSPCA has been overshadowed by their campaign against the live trade."

Mr York said WAFarmers was continuing to meet with the RSPCA and urging it to shift its focus, but had so far found little common ground.

He said the group was not advocated for the withdrawal of the $500,000 in annual State Government funding provided to the organisation.

Rather, WAFarmers just wanted the money directed to the prevention of animal cruelty, not to a campaign against a farming industry.

"A lot of those funds are adequately and appropriately administered. I can't see why that doesn't need to continue. But it is a very confused environment when they are also advocating for the removal of part of our agricultural industry," Mr York said.

Stop RSPCA funding, PGA says

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association told the committee it wanted the funding removed, along with any powers the RSPCA currently has for enforcing animal welfare laws and regulations on farms.

PGA policy officer Ian Randles told the committee the RSPCA's opposition to the live export trade directly threatened the industry, and the income of its members.

Ian Randles says the PGA is deeply concerned about the RSPCA's stance against live exports. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

Mr Randles told the committee it was inappropriate for the RSPCA to receive government funding which could in turn bolster a campaign against a legal business.

"It seems likely that this funding, small though it is, allows the RSPCA to allocate other income to fund an activist campaign against live export," the PGA said in its written submission to the committee.

Speaking after giving evidence, Mr Randles said the PGA was deeply concerned by the RSPCA's stance.

"The export of livestock from Western Australia is a lawful and legitimate business activity, and the policy of the West Australian Government is to support lawful and legitimate business activities. And yet the RSPCA is getting $500,000 worth of public monies to oppose this lawful business," Mr Randles said.

Mr Randles said the RSPCA should focus on pets, not commercial livestock, with laws and regulations relating to farm animals enforced by government agencies.

"Because we think the RSPCA need to concentrate on companion animals, we believe that always was their traditional role," he said.

"We're not suggesting any reduction in the level of supervision. We'd still expect the law to be upheld and the law to be enforced, but we'd prefer to be done by state and national agricultural agencies."

RSPCA disputes claims

The WA president of the RSPCA, Lynne Bradshaw, also attended the hearing and is due to give evidence to the committee next month.

RSPCA WA president Lynne Bradshaw says calls for the body to focus on pet welfare are ill-informed. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

She disputed the claims being made by the farming bodies, and rejected suggestions that farmers no longer trusted the RSPCA.

"The farmers we speak to tell us they value the presence of the RSPCA. In fact, most of the cases that get put to us, are from other farmers," she said.

Ms Bradshaw dismissed the PGA's view that government funding should be stripped from the organisation.

She also rejected calls for the organisation to focus only on pets.

"I think it's ill-informed. The RSCPA is for all animals great and small, and that doesn't include, in brackets, 'not livestock', which is probably the aim of this type of discussion."