Farm biosecurity
What is farm biosecurity?
Farm biosecurity brings together a range of practices that aim to keep Australian livestock and crops free of disease, pests and weeds.
Keeping diseases, pests and weeds out is important because they can:
- reduce on-farm productivity
- affect farm incomes
- affect animal welfare
- reduce the value of farming land
- close export markets or reduce export prices – with a flow on effect to domestic producers.
Some animal diseases can also be passed to humans.
What are the risks?
The biggest risk is complacency! Australia is renowned for its robust national quarantine system, which can make it easy to think it’s all okay. However unwanted pests and diseases can – and do – get through even the toughest systems. And don’t forget the existing diseases and pests in Australia that already cost huge amounts to control.
That’s where farm biosecurity comes in – providing the next level of protection for your farm or property.
Australia’s national biosecurity system is at its most effective when protection is in place at many levels – at the national level, at the state/territory level, at a regional level and at the individual farm or property level.
Australia has an outstanding national quarantine service, but what happens when diseases and pests enter Australia? How do you protect yourself from diseases that are already in Australia? Do you know what practices will keep YOUR property and your livelihood secure?
Farm Biosecurity highlights five key areas of risk, as the main ways that disease is spread:
- People movement
- Product movement
- Vehicles and equipment
- Feed and water
- Pests and weeds
Assess your property for these risk areas and think about ways to minimise them. You will be on your way to good farm biosecurity.