Welcome to the 17th edition of the Farm Biosecurity News
Each edition examines one of our top five Farm Biosecurity risk areas. These issues directly relate to biosecurity risks on properties and provide you with helpful information relating to prevention and risk mitigation.
This edition looks at all of our risk areas in relation to the current focus on influenza in animals.
For additional information on Farm Biosecurity visit the Farm Biosecurity website at www.farmbiosecurity.com.au.
Our farm biosecurity advice is designed to be simple, clear and easy to use. Please share these articles with your colleagues and members and feel free to use them in your own industry or member publications.
Farm Biosecurity: the issues
Focusing on: The ‘Flu’: be prepared
The very recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza (popularly known as swine flu) in a NSW Central West pig herd is a stark reminder about the vital role for farm biosecurity.
And, it’s a strong signal for producers to put measures in place to protect their livestock, and their enterprise.When the so-called Human Swine Flu began its sweep around the world, biosecurity specialists warned that animals might be at risk from this strain.
Australia's chief vet, Dr Andy Carroll, says the pigs were probably infected by a human, and "The biggest risk is there are potentially hundreds of thousands of people or more with this virus in the Australian community. The important thing is to make sure anyone who's showing any signs of influenza doesn't work with pigs."
The farm was placed in quarantine and a management plan put in place, and NSW DPI acting chief vet, Ian Roth, told ABC Radio "We expect all the pigs to make a full recovery.“There is no evidence to suggest the disease has spread into other pig herds.”
Disease control experts and the pig industry are now focusing on stopping the virus from spreading to other piggeries
Pig owners, and all livestock owners, should report any unusual signs of disease in their animals to a local private or government veterinarian, or to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888.
The key to prevention is good Farm Biosecurity.
The H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic is serious and may have serious consequences for livestock industries if they are exposed. The current disease is a new influenza A type virus; the strain appears to be a recombinant of human, swine and avian viruses. So far the disease has only been detected in one herd, but with so many people infected around Australia, the risks to other pig herds are quite high
For any disease – be it swine flu, horse flu, or any number of other transmissible viruses, bacteria and fungi, stopping exposure and minimising spread is the key. This applies equally to full-scale commercial enterprises, research facilities, organic and biodynamic farms, ‘hobby’ farms, school farms and in some cases, people with farm-animal pets.
STOP PRESS: Ekka pigs to go home: Biosecurity Queensland has requested that pigs be removed from the Ekka site at Bowen Hills, Brisbane.
The Ekka (The Royal Queensland Show, August 6-15) attracts many tens of thousands of visitors, and there are 23 pigs at the Ekka in the animal nursery - these will all be returned to their home properties. Their removal is to prevent them from coming into contact with people suffering from the flu.
Piggeries across Australia have introduced protocols that include measures to prevent anyone with flu-like symptoms coming into contact with pigs.
The Ekka animal nursery will remain open with a range of other animal attractions for children to enjoy.
The Farm Biosecurity checklist
This checklist will help ensure that you have appropriate preventative measures are in place:
1. Discourage sick people from having any close contact with animals
2. Conduct a risk assessment before allowing visitors onto the property. Check if anyone (or their family members or work associates) has been sick recently, or has been in contact with other pig herds; and make sure their clothing, shoes and equipment are clean.
3. Keep a record of who comes in contact with your animals, where your animals have come from and where they go to
4. Visitors who have close contact with your animals should be wearing clean boots and clothes. Make sure hand and boot washing facilities are used - before and after handling animals
5. All animal handling equipment should be clean and stay on your property, unless it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between properties
6. Vehicles moving animals on and off your property should be cleaned
For more: www.australianpork.com.au; www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au
Developing issues and trends
Biosecurity plans
The process of biosecurity planning continues to develop. The Grains Industry Biosecurity Plan (IBP) provides a framework for biosecurity risk mitigation measures in the industry and is available to be reviewed at www.phau.com.au/go/phau/biosecurity/grains
Currently, plans are being refined for the citrus and viticulture industries.
Biosecurity planning provides a mechanism for the grains industry, government and other relevant stakeholders to assess current biosecurity practices and future biosecurity needs. It also identifies procedures that can be put in place to reduce the chance of pests reaching our borders or minimise the impact if a pest incursion occurs.
Moving grapevines in Victoria?
To prevent the spread of Phylloxera - a destructive pest of grapevines, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has issued a reminder about regulations for moving grapevine planting material within the state.
The regulations relate to Victoria’s quarantine zones, and significant fines apply if nurseries distributing grapevine planting material to re-sellers do not follow the regulations.
Phylloxera is an aphid that reduces root growth, weakens or kills grapevines and is a serious threat to Australia's viticulture industry. It is most commonly spread through the transport of grapevine cuttings, rootlings, grapes, soil, used vineyard equipment or packaging.
Victoria uses three types of quarantine zones to stop the spread of phylloxera and protect market access:
• Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ): an area where phylloxera is known not to exist or which has been surveyed and found to be free of the pest;
• Phylloxera Risk Zone (PRZ): an area where phylloxera is thought not to exist, but which has never been formally surveyed; and
• Phylloxera Infested Zone (PIZ): an area where phylloxera is known to exist.
For more: www.new.dpi.vic.gov.au
Biosecurity developments and member news
Horse venue biosecurity workbook
A draft Horse Venue Biosecurity Workbook has been released and industry comment continues to be sought up to the closing date of Friday 28 August, 2009.
The draft workbook has been developed by stakeholders from a cross-section of the horse industry, with funding from Animal Health Australia. The workbook provides the format for a horse owner or venue manager to look at their operation and, in a logical process, develop a biosecurity plan.
To inspect the draft, please visit: Horse Venue Biosecurity Workbook (301 KB)
Comments can be emailed to: horses@animalhealthaustralia.com.au
or posted to: Horse Venue Biosecurity Workbook
C/- Animal Health Australia
Suite 15, 26-28 Napier Cl
DEAKIN ACT 2600
Plant Quarantine Manual Tasmania Update
The PQMTas manual is now being updated as a new edition each December. Under this schedule, the first new draft is now available for public comment, which concludes on 31 August 2009.
Several significant changes in the draft have been made, and after the first-round’s input has been considered, a second round of public comment will follow; this is scheduled for mid-September to mid-October.
Requests for draft copies and any basic queries can be directed to: Barry Calderbank, DPIW Hobart, ph 6233 6519. More technical or complex queries should be directed to Dr Darren Phillips, Policy Analyst (Biosecurity) on 03 63365272 or darren.phillips@dpipwe.ta.gov.au
Secure your farm: Farm Biosecurity news
Swine flu biosecurity fact sheet
Animal Health Australia has developed a comprehensive fact sheet on swine flu and its biosecurity implications for pig producers, and all livestock owners.
Given the importance of this disease, it is considered recommended reading. Download the factsheet for immediate use.
For more tips: visit the Farm Biosecurity Toolkit
Farm Biosecurity Awards: Nominations closed
Nominations closed on 10 July for the inaugural Farm Biosecurity Awards - they have been received from a wide range of plant and animal based industries. The Awards team will be assessing the nominations against the criteria and the entrants will be advised of the outcome later this month. The official announcements and award presentations will occur at gala dinner in Canberra on Saturday, 19 September.
Biosecurity Awareness Workshops
Plant Health Australia (PHA) will be running Biosecurity Awareness Workshops in selected locations across Australia for producers. The workshops being run by PHA provide an introduction to the arrangements in place for the management of emergency response to plant pest incursions.
For more information contact PHA National Training Coordinator, Kymme Hoadley.
At home and abroad
Australian Conferences
Two conferences of importance to agriculture are being held in Australia next year. If you are interested in keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in biosecurity, check out the links below for more details:
Global Biosecurity 2010: safeguarding agriculture and the environment
This conference will span all aspects of biosecurity; from the traditional sciences (such as pathology) and social sciences(including economics, risk analysis and risk communication), to policy, operations, industry engagement and market access. The Global Biosecurity 2010 conference will appeal to primary producers who are engaged with industry organisations or who take an interest in Australia’s broader biosecurity systems.
For more, visit: http://www.globalbiosecurity2010.com/
FMD 2010 Conference
The Foot and Mouth Disease International Symposium and Workshop in Melbourne will provide an update on global and Australian efforts to minimise the risks from the devastating FMD – an outbreak of which in Australia would have massive socio-economic impacts, estimated in the worst case scenario to be in excess of AUD $13 billion. The event will interest livestock producers, especially the third day, which will provide insights into how a disease response is conducted and how it can impact on producers.
For more details, visit www.FMD2010.com.au
Farm Biosecurity media snapshot
Local news….
Swine flu updates
The NSW DPI, in collaboration with Australian Pork Limited, other key support agencies and veterinarians, is co-ordinating the response to the swine flu outbreak on one farm in Central West NSW.
Regular updates on progress with the plan to eradicate the disease in the pig heard can be found via: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity; www.australianpork.com.au
PIRSA launches vendor declaration crackdown
South Australia's sheep producers have been urged to correctly complete their national vendor declarations.
Primary Industries and Resources SA staff will conduct an intensive audit of the state's saleyards and export abattoirs to ensure all consignments meet the requirements of the National Livestock Identification System (Sheep and Goats), from Monday August 10.
The NLIS (Sheep and Goats) implementation committee comprising agents, producers and processors has requested PIRSA take a tougher stance to improve compliance and protect export markets such as the European Union and United States, which demand a high level of traceability.
PIRSA says incomplete and incorrectly filled national vendor declarations are threatening the integrity and traceability of the system and, despite extensive education campaigns, saleyard audits show many non-compliant forms - particularly from non-vendor bred sheep.
– Courtesy Stock Journal, SA, 30/7/09
New electronic technology to replace 'ute guides'
Just launched in Queensland, the pests, diseases and disorders field identification guide is a new software package, and is the first to be developed for use in the Queensland nursery industry.
Ultimately, it might be possible to have a complete guide for known crop pest and diseases on every farmers mobile phone in the country.
For more: Bugged farmers find solution to pests is just a few clicks away
WA Field Days on grain storage
The Department of Agriculture and Food WA, Plant Health Australia and the Grains Industry Association of WA (GIWA) will be hosting two grain storage and marketing field days in August to provide growers with up-to-date information on storing grain for export.
For more: Field days on grain storage and marketing
New pest in Queensland
A new insect pest - the Q biotype whitefly - has been discovered in Queensland horticulture and cotton crops. While many crop producers would be very familiar with the silverleaf whitefly (B biotype), this new strain of the Bemisia tabaci species complex is now in Australia. It is important because it has the ability to develop resistance quickly to some insecticide groups, particularly if they are used repeatedly.
For more: What is Q-biotype whitefly?
Around the world….
Global FMD offensive
A major offensive aimed at bringing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) under global control has been launched by FAO and the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
A successful outcome would be welcome around the world: in the 2001 outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and the Netherlands, six million animals had to be destroyed at a cost estimated between $11 and $12 billion. It took eight months to eliminate the virus.
For more: Major drive launched against FMD- Aims to bring disease under progressive global control
New Labs for disease research in UK
The UK research institute at the centre of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak two years ago has been given £100m to build new laboratories. The head of the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright in Surrey, said that the state-of-the-art facilities are as safe as they can be.
For more: £100m boost for government lab
Fresh fruit fly outbreak
Two weeks after declaring that California eradicated the Oriental fruit fly, state workers on Tuesday announced the trapping of four of the crop-destroying insects in La Verne. The California Department of Food and Agriculture this week began a new eradication plan for the pest, which is known to attack 230 types of fruits and vegetables.
For more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_12887923