Read the latest information on
Foot-and-mouth disease
Having a biosecurity plan is one thing. Making sure it’s followed is another.
Over time, farming operations change, staff come and go, and procedures that once worked well may no longer suit the way a property operates.
Reviewing your plan gives you an opportunity to check how it is working on the ground and where improvements may be needed.
Look at what happens in practice
Take your biosecurity plan with you as you walk around the property. Choose a few measures to check and compare what’s written in the plan with what actually happens during normal farm activities.
If a cleaning station is rarely used, find out why. It might be poorly located, difficult to access or missing the equipment people need. Addressing those problems may be more effective than adding another instruction to the plan.
Also check whether actions identified in your plan have been completed. If something has been put off, consider what’s preventing progress and whether the action remains a priority.
The Farm Biosecurity Action Planner can help you check progress, reassess priorities and identify actions that need attention.
Talk to the people using the plan
Staff, family members and contractors can provide valuable feedback on how biosecurity procedures work in practice.
Ask what is easy to follow, where difficulties arise and whether everyone understands their biosecurity responsibilities.
If procedures are regularly missed or people are finding workarounds, it may be a sign that something needs to change.
The Train, plan & record resources include guidance on staff training and communicating biosecurity requirements, along with a worker biosecurity video and fact sheet.
Review when circumstances change
Even if existing measures are working well, changes to your farming operations may introduce new risks.
A new contractor, production area or farming activity may mean existing procedures need adjusting. New pest or disease detections and changes to movement requirements may also affect your arrangements.
Review the relevant parts of your plan when significant changes occur, rather than waiting until your next scheduled review.
Make changes and check the results
Once you’ve identified an issue, decide what needs to change and who is responsible for making it happen.
Update the relevant procedures and explain any changes to the people involved. Then check that the change is working as intended and the updated procedure is being followed.
You don’t need to review everything at once. Start with one part of your plan, check how it’s working and make improvements where needed.
The Farm Biosecurity Action Planner can help you review your existing measures, check progress on planned actions and identify priorities for improvement.
Related articles
This article is part of the Biosecurity basics series, which explores simple, practical actions to reduce biosecurity risks on farm.
Read other articles in the series:
