Australia
December 12, 2014
A new planning tool that will help both crop and livestock producers protect their properties against diseases, pests and weeds is now available on the Farm Biosecurity website.
The Farm Biosecurity Action Planner helps producers to identify risks based on the six biosecurity ‘essentials’.
Plant Health Australia’s Manager for Biosecurity Planning and Implementation, Alison Saunders, said that when devising a biosecurity plan for the farm, the essentials are a good place to start.
“By looking at a property with the essentials in mind, a producer can be confident that they are identifying all the relevant biosecurity risks. They can then address the risks by undertaking simple and practical measures suggested in the planner’s checklist,” Alison said.
Things like quarantining new livestock or plants, signage, pest surveillance, using chemicals appropriately, limiting access to production areas, and cleaning vehicles or equipment are all covered in the planner.
“Working through the planner, you might find that you are already doing some of the recommended practices, or identify other areas where you need to tighten up. The planner will help producers tailor a plan that suits their needs,” added Alison.
“If a producer builds a biosecurity plan around their daily, seasonal or yearly farm routines, after a while biosecurity should simply become habit,” she said.
The Farm Biosecurity Action Planner is available from www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/planner. Producers can print their own copy and fill in the details by hand, or record the actions they will take in the document’s electronic fields with a computer.
Farm Biosecurity is a joint initiative of Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia managed on behalf of members.
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