Biosecurity

Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have achieved a breakthrough in molecular plant pathology, marking a technological leap forward for breeding durable disease-resistant crops. Plant pathogens – organisms which cause plant diseases - greatly reduce agricultural productivity and are a persistent threat to global food security.    

A groundbreaking $42.7 million national biosecurity initiative led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with five state government departments is set to transform the effectiveness and responsiveness of Australia’s grains biosecurity system. The six-year initiative will use state-of-the-art technology and processes to improve Australia’s ability to rapidly detect and accurately diagnose exotic pests and plant diseases...

Farmers are fighting a “slow-moving bushfire” as invasive weeds such as African lovegrass and serrated tussock explode following a wet summer. NSW Farmers Cooma branch chair Craig Mitchell said the state’s struggle with weeds had reached a tipping point, with some public and private land managers failing to meet their responsibilities.

Another independent body has ... raised concerns the Government’s proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy “does not pass critical scrutiny”, validating the claims of Australia’s 85,000 farming families. Independent academics from the Australian National University's Tax and Transfer Policy Institute (TTPI) have backed widespread condemnation of the Government’s proposed policy which is due to come into effect in just a matter of months.  

The battle to prevent Varroa Mite has entered a new phase with the National Management Group approving the Transition to Management plan to manage the invasive pest, a move one of the region’s largest beekeepers says is a step in the right direction ... “There’s been a lot more going on in the industry than just Varroa,” Steve Fuller said.

The NSW Government’s feral pig control program has culled 33,277 feral pigs in just 4 months, making it one of the largest feral pig programs in the nation’s history. Already 2,035 property owners have participated in the Government’s $13 million Feral Pig Program, working with Local Land Services to target pest populations.

One of the most invasive Australian weeds is being touted as a potential economic crop, with benefits for the construction, mining and forestry industries, and potentially many First Nations communities. The prickly paddy melon weed, which costs the agricultural industry around $100 million a year in lost grain yields, cattle deaths, and control measures, could turn into an unlikely money spinner...

Insecticide resistance in redlegged earth mites (RLEM) has been closely monitored over the last 15 years ... The RLEM poses a significant threat to establishing crops and pastures across the southern growing regions of Australia.

Announced changes to the Biosecurity Protection Levy are an important step forward in developing a sustainable system and address some of the concerns raised by industry GrainGrowers said ... “While there are still issues to be addressed, the announcement is a positive step, and we look forward to further discussions, particularly around accountability and performance issues”: GrainGrowers Chair Rhys Turton.

The implementation plan to assist in delivery of Australia’s first National Biosecurity Strategy (NBS), a collaborative, national approach to protecting Australia from exotic pests and diseases backed by all government agriculture ministers, has been released.