Safeguarding your stock before and after a natural disaster

Across Australia, extreme weather comes and goes with the seasons. Fires, flood, droughts and storms have formed part of the short- and long-term cycles of weather on this continent forever.

Area-wide management of Queensland fruit fly and using sterile insects

Area-wide management (AWM) is a proven way of managing pests, including Queensland fruit fly, the single most important pest of fruits and vegetables in Australia. A set of guidelines has been developed by Hort Frontiers to help you get started with AWM for Queensland fruit fly, and the opportunities to use sterile insect technique (SIT) once pest numbers are down and sterile flies become available for purchase*.

Beekeeper survey reveals pest and disease threats to honey bees

The Honey Bee Health Survey of 2018 was designed to provide a snapshot of bee health in the Australian honey bee industry. One thing that came from the results is that of the 40 percent of hobby beekeepers who reported losing hives, most were lost due to pests and diseases, followed by overwintering and queen loss.

Come clean on your biosecurity needs

While the movement of livestock is the most likely pathway for spreading animal diseases and pests and weeds throughout Australia, people, vehicles and equipment can also act as vectors for many endemic and exotic biosecurity threats.

With the recent announcement by the Queensland Government that accredited lay people will be permitted to provide pregnancy testing services to the cattle industry, Animal Health Australia (AHA) are reminding livestock producers to be aware of the biosecurity risks when dealing with consultants and service providers who may be travelling from property to property for their work.

Do the right thing with your food waste or you’ll end up in a pickle

There’s no denying that the reduction of food waste is important for environmental and sustainability factors, which has seen an increase in consumer demand and corporate responsibility to implement programs to minimise food waste.

The surprising benefit to bottom line in farming with TR4

The owners of two infested properties in the Tully Valley have shed some positive light on continuing to operate with the disease – including some surprising economic outcomes.

Make sure hitch hikers don’t arrive with backpacker labour

At this time of year, many fruit or veg producers will have casual labourers, often backpackers, on their property to help with harvesting activities. If care is not taken, labourers can spread diseases, pests and weed seeds on their clothing, equipment and vehicles as they move from farm-to-farm and region-to-region. But armed with the necessary […]

Thinking of feeding RAM? Here’s why you shouldn’t

Diseases that can have a serious impact on livestock and human health can be spread by providing contaminated feed products to livestock. Every livestock producer has a responsibility to help keep Australia free from these diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

We’re on the lookout for the 2020 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year

Do you know an Australian biosecurity champion? If someone you know goes the extra mile to protect their property from diseases, pests and weeds, nominate them before Friday 6 December for the 2020 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year Award.

Time to keep an eye out for footrot

As we head into spring much of Australia is looking at a drier-than-average season, though there is always a chance of some much-needed rain. With that rain and warmer weather comes increasing disease risks, prompting Animal Health Australia to issue a reminder about footrot.