164
Biosecurity is Everyone’s Business – Including our Farmers
Dr Greg Chandler is a national authority in biosecurity working at Hort Innovation. He has developed an array of knowledge of Australia's biosecurity system, encompassing all aspects of the biosecurity spectrum, over a 25 year career. His current role oversees the Research & Development portfolio for biosecurity, delivering high-quality R&D projects to Australia's horticulture industries. Greg discusses the core principles and objectives of the modern biosecurity system relevant to Australian agriculture and provides advice on biosecurity best practice aimed at the forward thinking farmer. Biosecurity is currently of increased importance in Australia, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the nation’s agricultural sector, it is a particularly “hot topic” given the recent arrival of destructive exotic pests such as the fall armyworm. But what is biosecurity exactly? Most people are familiar with the old Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) that is encountered when returning from overseas through via international airports. And while the name ”quarantine” officially changed to ”biosecurity” in Australia almost a decade ago, many people are still unfamiliar with its full meaning. Biosecurity, usually associated with the isolation of a biosecurity risk until it can be mitigated, is actually much broader than just quarantine. Other examples of biosecurity measures include outright exclusion of high-risk products, physical barriers such as netting in an orchard or light traps in warehouses, treatment options for goods either before or after they enter Australia (e.g., fumigation, heat, washing, or oxygen deprivation) and surveillance to test the measures.
Aside from those interventions, increased biosecurity awareness is an important tool, with farmers playing a key role in the early detection of exotic pests and dis- eases. Contingency plans allow us to be prepared for the arrival of a new pest or disease, including informa- tion on identification and management. The biosecurity spectrum is broad, encompassing pre-border, border and post-border. Pre-border activ- ities occur in other countries, providing early warning of a new biosecurity threat, border covers interception of biosecurity risks before they can enter and establish in Australia, and post-border covers efforts to control any biosecurity threats that have made it past our border defence system. They also include prepared- ness activities to ensure our industries are ready in the event that something serious is introduced. Australia’s biosecurity system, regarded as one of the best in the world, is large and complex. But how can one farmer make a meaningful difference? In everyday life, each person has a role to play. Australians have always, for example, been good at making declarations at the
Struggling with birds damaging your crops? See p 63 to read Michelle's story.
Powered by FlippingBook