By RICK GLADIGAU, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS PRESIDENT
You’d have done well to escape commentary last year about Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) being closer than ever to Australian shores.
It has been 150 years since FMD was last in Australia. Currently, the threat of incursion has never been more real.
An expert panel’s assessment showed the probability of an incursion within the next five years had increased significantly. For LSD it more than doubled and the risk of an FMD incursion is up more than 30 per cent.
As the headlines of 2022 fade into the rear-view mirror and we power into 2023, Australian farmers would do well to remain aware of the threat. Behind the scenes, Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) has worked with countless other organisations to ensure the dairy industry is as best prepared as possible.
Dairy week serves up biosecurity for breakfast
Industry and government have worked together to update many aspects of preparedness and response plans in the past 12 months.
ADF provided an update on these preparations and an overview of the threat and outlook at an industry breakfast we hosted at International Dairy Week at Tatura, Victoria, last month.
The government has done a substantial amount of work to reduce risk and keep FMD out. It has responded to industry concerns by vaccinating cattle and improving biosecurity practice in Indonesia, increasing border controls and detector dogs and implementing other initiatives such as product import risk reviews including dairy products. This has lowered the risk and kept the virus out of Australia.
Looking ahead, ADF has made its position on emergency animal disease (EAD) preparedness clear. Together, dairy leaders are loudly advocating to the government for better preparedness on biosecurity.
In our submission to the Senate’s Inquiry into the Adequacy of Australia’s biosecurity measures and response preparedness, we highlighted ways to further improve Australia’s already commendable preparedness work.
We highlighted the need for ongoing biosecurity funding at or above 2016-17 levels in real terms and greater transparency around where that funding is spent.
ADF also advocated for the reinstatement of the 80pc target for security screening of incoming travellers at the borders.
The full submission is available on the Australian Parliament’s website.
ADF has Senator’s ear, recognition for dairy
The submission has been extensively considered by Senator Linda White, a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport, who we were pleased to hear from at the IDW breakfast.
We welcomed Senator White’s acknowledgement of dairy’s united voice on biosecurity. Senator White said agricultural commodities with a united voice had a better chance of clearly advocating for their needs.
Importantly, most of the observations and proposals we made in our submission to the inquiry have been addressed in comment and/or recommendation by the committee in its report.
The stakes are high; be ready, alert
In his address Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Taskforce leader Dr Brant Smith said Australia enjoyed a good reputation globally for managing disease threats but he said vigilance was important.
We were reminded of the control measures that would be implemented in Australia should there be an EAD incursion.
Consideration of the consequences of these measures reinforces the need for adequate preparation.
For example, the first stage of the response for a FMD incursion involves a national livestock standstill.
Milk collection, transporting and processing would continue.
However, farmers would not be able to move livestock off their property. Other restrictions include:
- Restrict effluent on public roads.
- Tankers and other vehicles to be washed/disinfected before entering your property and upon exit.
- You would have to record all vehicle and people movements.
- Essential visitors only – and they must use a property vehicle.
- Personnel and visitors would be subject to increased hygiene requirements.
Stage two of the response would include a move to a zoning system. A restricted area, control area and outside area would be established. Movement between zones would be heavily restricted.
Rigorous on-farm biosecurity practices would prove critical in the management of the virus in this stage and, if found wanting, may jeopardise milk being collected.
When you consider the severity of these implications you can see why the dairy industry needs to be prepared and aware, but not alarmed.
Preparedness starts with action on-farm
The biosecurity system is even stronger when farmers take action at home too.
Justin Toohey, who is advising ADF on animal health, welfare and biosecurity, also spoke at the breakfast. Mr Toohey said dairy farmers should consider what they can do to benefit their businesses and biosecurity.
He recommends farmers:
- Remove livestock from tanker tracks.
- Separate ‘farm’ and ‘visitor’ personnel and vehicles.
- Install tree belts between farm and neighbour(s).
- Re-purpose water carriers/pumps for decontamination.
Essentially, dairy farmers should use the coming months and years to create barriers between their animals and the outside world.
Farmers can take action today. Get started by saving the Australian Government’s EAD Watch Hotline (1800 675 888) into your phone.