Farm biosecurity in Australia has been given fresh urgency.

A Farm Biosecurity Award (FBA) scheme has been established to reward exemplary biosecurity practices in Rural Australia. And the country’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has begun issuing farm biosecurity posters for display to workers and visitors.

The FBA, launched as part of the inaugural Australian Outback and Rural Awards, is a key element of the Farm Biosecurity programme, reports Australian Veterinary Journal. This is a joint initiative of Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia.

The Farm Biosecurity programme asks farmers to assess their properties in five risk areas, determine the level of risk acceptable to them and enact measures to reduce those found too high. A $A2000 and trophy will go to the top biosecurity champion.

DAFF is targeting diseases, pests and weeds, pointing out many are not always noticeable and people can unknowingly spread them between properties. This was highlighted during the 2007-2008 equine influenza outbreak when the disease was shown to be quickly spread to new areas via people, their clothing and equipment.

‘Anyone who comes on your property may unwittingly bring diseases, pests or weeds with them,’ a spokesman says. ‘As seasonal pickers, itinerant workers, contractors and agents travelling between different properties the risks they present are increased.’

The risks can be reduced by a few simple measures:

1. Ensure contractors and new staff undertake a biosecurity risk assessment before being allowed onto a farm or production area. If anyone is assessed as a high risk, mitigation measures such as cleaning or changing clothing and footwear, washing hands, etc, should be implemented. Simple measures may suffice but if a risk cannot be reduced, farmers should consider denying access to their property. A farmer may also refuse to hire anyone unwilling to follow biosecurity measures.
DAFF says employees and contractors with similar livestock or crops/plant products on their own properties pose a higher risk. ‘Ensure they do not wear the same clothing on your property, or clean thoroughly when they arrive.’

2. Keep a visitor register to record the names and vehicle details of anyone entering a property and the time and date of entry. This not only includes workers, but social calls, deliveries, livestock transport vehicles and service providers such as stock and station agents. Visitor records are critical for trace back in the event of a disease outbreak but do not have to be overly complicated. Consider combining a visitor register and deliveries log for accurate recording without much extra effort.

3. Set up a visitor parking area well away from livestock, crops and plants. Vehicles can carry dirt and manure which may harbour disease agents, pests and weed seeds, particularly in their undercarriages and on tyres.

4. Set up a high pressure wash-down facility near the parking area for vehicles needing to go beyond the visitor parking area. Keep wash-down run-off away from pens, paddocks, crops and plants.

5. Display signs in the visitor parking area and at access points to the property directing all visitors and workers to the office to make their presence known and sign the visitor register. This ensures knowledge of who is on a property.

6. Provide a footbath for cleaning dirty boots and shoes. It may as simple as a bucket of clean water with an appropriate disinfection solution and scrubbing brush. Ensure all organic matter is removed before disinfecting as dirt and manure are effective carriers of disease agents, pests and weed seeds.

7. Ensure equipment used by staff and contractors is cleaned and disinfected prior to use. Body fluids, dirt and manure may carry disease agents, pests or weed seeds. Washing with warm soapy water and disinfection is recommended.