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18th Farm Biosecurity News

Each edition examines one of our top five Farm Biosecurity risk areas. These issues directly relate to biosecurity risks on properties and provide you with helpful information relating to prevention and risk mitigation. This edition focuses on the biosecurity risks facing the citrus and nursery industry.

For additional information on Farm Biosecurity visit the Farm Biosecurity website at www.farmbiosecurity.com.au

Our farm biosecurity advice is designed to be simple, clear and easy to use. Please share these articles with your colleagues and members and feel free to use them in your own industry or member publications.

Focusing on: citrus and the nursery industry

When Citrus canker was confirmed in the Queensland centre of Emerald in July 2004, Australian growers were forced to take a deep breath and contemplate the damage this disease might have on the country’s $420 million-a-year citrus industry. There was real cause for concern: Citrus canker causes lesions on leaves, stems and fruit of citrus trees (including lime, oranges and grapefruit) significantly affecting yield and quality. For the Emerald growers, it meant the destruction of nearly half a million citrus trees, which had a vast impact on the local citrus industry and the region’s associated businesses. And it could have been a catastrophe right across the citrus industry, as well as affecting parts of the nursery and garden industry, and for backyard citrus trees, if it were not successfully contained. Now, five years later, Queensland has been declared Citrus canker free.

“Citrus canker certainly had an impact but it could have been so much worse,” said Anthony Kachenko, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia’s Environmental & Technical Policy Manager.

“That is the essence of managing pests like this – ensuring the people on the ground know what to look for, and are trained in how to react if they do find something dangerous.”

“Prevention is better than cure but if a pathogen does get through, it all comes down to early detection. This is paramount,” said Mr Kachenko.

Working with Plant Health Australia, the country’s nursery industry has developed guidelines for managing biosecurity in the nursery industry. These guidelines - BioSecure HACCP - provide businesses with a systematic approach to assess on-farm biosecurity hazards and how to manage these risks. Nurseries, which contribute around $14.5 billion a year to the economy, have also put in place the Nursery Industry Accreditation Scheme Australia (NIASA), which provides guidelines on nursery hygiene including ways to treat water to minimise risk of pathogen spread.

Apart from Citrus canker, several other threats to nurseries include:

 

  • Guava rust – an air transmitted pathogen that has a wide host range and infects many Australian plants including Eucalypts, Melaleucas and Callistemons. It is one of the most serious threats to Eucalypt plantations in tropical and subtropical regions. First signs of infection are tiny raised spots or pustules on infected tissue; after a few days pustules turn a distinctive egg-yolk yellow; plants become stunted and die.

 

  • Sudden oak death – a major pathogen of ornamental and amenity species that has had devastating effects in the USA and Europe. It is has a wide host range including Rhododendron spp., Viburnum spp  and Camellia spp. Signs include foliage, shoot and leaf blight, bleeding stem canker, dieback, and in many cases plant death.

 

  • Asian gypsy moth –a pest with a very wide host range including Malus, Prunus, Pyrus, Callistemon, Pinus and Eucalyptus.  It is capable of defoliating trees causing loss of production, defoliation and tree death.  The hairs on the Gypsy moths caterpillar can also cause allergic reactions in people.

 

Spotted something unusual? Call the Emergency Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881

 

Biosecurity issues

Hendra virus – be alert


Veterinarians and horse-handlers need to be on constant alert and put procedures in place to minimise exposure of horses to the deadly Hendra virus (HeV). A second Queensland vet has died after contracting HeV when inspecting unwell horses near Rockhampton, and several horses have been put down. Flying foxes are the main source of HeV infection, with horses acting as intermediaries. Therefore, where there are flying-fox populations, measures need to be put in place to prevent horses being infected with the virus and precautions need to be adopted by people who own, handle, or live or work near horses. The virus is difficult to detect and horses can have the virus, and be excreting it for a couple of days, before they show any clinical signs of the disease. Look out for any respiratory distress, frothy nasal discharge, elevated heart rate and temperature, or anything else unusual (including changes in horse behaviour).

This means being biosecurity aware and taking precautions that include:

  • watching for flying-fox activity
  • thoroughly checking the health of all horses before they enter your property (especially if they are coming from areas with flying foxes)
  • feeding animals away from areas that may be frequented by flying foxes
  • securing water sources to ensure they are not contaminated by faeces, particularly by flying foxes
  • avoiding direct contact with all horse secretions (nasal, oral and ocular and urine) and manure
  • using gloves, face masks and safety glasses or a face shield, wear full length protective clothing
  • changing clothing if it becomes soiled.

 

If you see anything unusual on your property call a veterinarian or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline: 1800 675 888

For more on Hendra virus and biosecurity: http://www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/diseases.cfm

 

Third Swine Flu outbreak, this time in Queensland


Highlighting how a disease like H1N1 Swine Flu can spread far and wide, a Darling Downs piggery has been quarantined over swine flu.Queensland's chief veterinary officer, Ron Glanville, says the influenza virus was probably spread by workers on the property. A vet raised concerns when he noticed a large number of pigs in the 3,000 head herd were showing signs of flu.

"The piggery workers there are taking normal protective action, the same as you do if you come in contact with a human with influenza.

"The most important control measure that we put in place was to quarantine the piggery and we will basically keep it under quarantine until the disease burns out."

Australian Pork Limited's Andrew Spencer says authorities followed nationally agreed procedures, acting quickly to quarantine the piggery.

"All of the affected properties have been placed under quarantine - there are protocols in place around how those properties can continue operations.”

The Queensland Government activated the Emergency Animal Disease Response Plan in response to the possible swine flu outbreak.

Earlier this month, piggeries in the Goulburn Valley in Victoria and central western New South Wales were also quarantined.

If you see anything unusual on your property call a veterinarian or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline: 1800 675 888

 For more on Swine Flu and biosecurity: http://www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/diseases.cfm

 

Pork safety explained

 A video has been produced, providing a very simple explanation of why pork is safe in relation to the H1N1 virus. It is presented by Dr. Cate Dewey from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

For more:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92DEyRK2D_A

Anthrax reminder

 

Producers are reminded to be alert for anthrax as we head into the warmer months.

The anthrax bacterium (Bacillus anthracis) has been known to exist in Australia for more than 150 years and incidents commonly occur in the warmer, drier months when cattle contact soil when foraging. Cattle owners should continue to maintain strict biosecurity procedures on their properties and report any sudden cases of unexplained cattle deaths to their local vet, DPI, or call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline - 1800 675 888

For more: http://www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/diseases.cfm 

 

Biosecurity developments and member news

South East South Australia survey

Landholders in the South Australia’s south-east can have a say in the local Natural Resources Management Board’s Invasive Species Biosecurity Strategy. This will set the goals for pest management in the south east for the next 5 years and prioritise Board expenditure accordingly. SENRM have a brief online poll at http://www.senrm.sa.gov.au/Poll.aspx to help determine the best way to get relevant information to the public, and encourages your views!

Contact Nicole McGuiness if you would like more information on ph: 08 8762 9170

Economic impacts of pests

A report released by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, The economic impacts of vertebrate pests in Australia, shows pests continue to have a major economic impact on our agricultural industries. Key findings from the report include:

  • Rabbits account for the most significant economic loss ($206 million annually), followed by wild dogs ($48.53 annually) and foxes ($21.15 annually)
  • Birds cause the most damage to the wine and grape, pome fruit, stone fruit and nut industries, worth $313.1 million in damage annually

For more: http://maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/august

 

Funding for Calicivirus research

In a bid to stop rabbit numbers increasing, the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre will research new strains of the Calicivirus. The $1.5 million in funding comes from the Commonwealth’s Caring for our Country Fund with additional support from AWI and MLA. Currently, Australia has only one strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (Calicivirus) Virus, which was released in 1995 and has kept rabbit numbers low. However, rabbits have developed genetic resistance to the virus, so rabbit numbers have risen. The research project will involve selecting new strains already identified in Europe.

For more: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

 

Tasmanian newsletters 

The electronic newsletters issued by the Quarantine Tasmania and DPIW Biosecurity Policy branch have been merged.  The first edition of what will now be a six monthly publication is available via: http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/MCAS-7UU3SH?open

Contents include:
• Be Alert for Wildlife Diseases
• Dogs to Tasmania Hotline
• Especially for Hobby Farmers - elderly alpacas, handfeeding livestock, carting livestock

For more: Barry Calderbank, Communications, DPIW Hobart ph 6233 6519

 

Read all about it...

 

Local news….

Insect pest control – new technique

The commercialisation of research in Tamworth, NSW has the potential to revolutionise insect pest management in agriculture. For more: Tamworth breakthrough to revolutionise insect pest control

 

Identifying pests and diseases in WA

A new online resource was launched by Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman to help protect and maintain the State’s enviable freedom from many serious pests, diseases and weeds. For more: The fight against pests, diseases, weeds  

 

Around the world….

US pork producers on guard against ‘swine flu’

Pork producers in Delaware, US, are putting in place the simplest and most effective biosecurity measures to guard against someone passing the H1N1 virus to their herds – keeping most visitors off their farms. Those visitors who are allowed must don a suit of protective clothes and boots. Farmer John Tigner says "Biosecurity is No. 1. We worry about diseases all the time -- the H1N1 wasn't something that just popped up."

For more: Threat of H1N1 has pig farmers on guard (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090824/NEWS/908240316)

 

Biosecurity basics on citrus

The importance of biosecurity was highlighted to citrus growers at the New Zealand Citrus Growers Association annual meeting. Australian citrus expert Pat Barkley spoke about valuable lessons from a citrus canker outbreak in Queensland. She said it is important have good biosecurity, and outlined some basic dos and don’ts to the conference attendees.

For more: Biosecurity basics on citrus  (http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=13613)

 

Funding boost for UK animal disease research laboratories

The British Government is investing £100 million in the redevelopment of the animal disease research laboratories at Pirbright in Surrey. The state-of-the-art facilities will ensure the UK is in a position to control, contain and eradicate the threats of established and emerging diseases of animals, protecting livestock - and people.

For more: Pirbright development welcomed
(http://www.farminguk.com/news/Pirbright-development-welcomed_16873.html)

 

 

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For more information on Farm Biosecurity visit www.farmbiosecurity.com.au