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Foot-and-mouth disease
Biosecurity underpins Australian agriculture, but people are so busy running their farms they don’t think about it – so says National Farmers’ Federation’s biosecurity taskforce chairman Ron Cullen. Ron is an advocate for change in the way farmers think about biosecurity. “People are a bit sceptical about taking the extra step and putting up a sign […]
The Department of Agriculture and Food in WA has started surveillance in commercial crops and backyard gardens in the Perth area, looking for signs of a new vegetable pest. Department Acting Chief Plant Protection Officer Sonya Broughton said officers were working with the horticulture industry to respond to the exotic plant pest, tomato potato psyllid […]
Have you spotted anything unusual on your property? Well, prawn farmers on the Logan River in Queensland have literally been spotting unusual spots – aptly identified as white spot disease. There is now a concerted effort underway to detect further cases, enforce movement controls in the Logan River area and hopefully eradicate the disease. This […]
In some rare, but great news, ovine Johne’s disease (OJD) – a disease that has caused significant sheep losses in the past – is being detected in less animals inspected as part of the National Sheep Health Monitoring Project (SHMP). This encouraging trend comes out of the data collected from the 1 to 1.5 million […]
An on-farm clean-down facility is one of the central components of farm biosecurity for Nigel and Rosemary Brumpton at their property ‘Baynham’, in Mitchell in Queensland. Careful attention to vehicle and machinery cleanliness has always been a priority, with a particular focus on preventing incursions of parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus). The Brumptons strongly believe that […]
For the first time, sugarcane growers have a manual dedicated to their biosecurity needs. Sharyn Taylor, National Manager Broadacre Cropping at Plant Health Australia, said that the manual includes advice in line with the Farm Biosecurity essentials. “The essentials have been tailored to address situations that cane growers may relate to,” said Sharyn. In terms […]
In addition to the restrictions on what can be brought into Australia from overseas, there are also rules about what can be moved around Australia. This is to prevent the spread of plant pests and diseases from one area of the country to another. To help people comply with the rules, and just in time […]
