Biosecurity

In the wake of IPBES' release of the Invasive Alien Species Assessment, CSIRO's Dr Andy Sheppard explains why invasive species are of urgent concern, providing key insights with a focus on Australia. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES; often described as the IPCC for biodiversity) released its  Invasive Alien Species Assessment  in Bonn, Germany, on 4 September 2023.

“Now more than ever it is crucial the State and Federal Labor Governments work together, and, given the Premier only two weeks ago announced plans to establish an embassy to do the job of elected 14 Federal Labor Members, we have little confidence in this relationship. This is too important to get wrong – stakeholders need to be brought into conversations with Government and while we await the results of Indonesia’s 60-day review, planning must be undertaken to ensure strength of the industry": Shane Love.

The state’s peak farm group has laid out a plan for government to resolve an acute shortage of large animal veterinarians in country NSW. NSW Farmers has given evidence to the Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage … putting forward three solutions being used internationally.

Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) has refined the 5km to 50km VNI West area of interest into a draft corridor for the VNI West project ... Each landholder will be appointed a landholder liaison, who will be their key contact and able to help answer questions on important issues...

DAFF has opened consultation ... “The amount producers are being asked to contribute is equivalent to 6 per cent of Commonwealth biosecurity funding in 2024–25 ... By comparison, importers will contribute around 48 per cent and the taxpayer will contribute around 44 per cent ... From 1 July this year, the government increased cost recovery for delivering biosecurity activities for risk creators and importers, representing an average price increase of 28 per cent across biosecurity fees and charges" : Dr Chris Locke.

Their actions have saved countless native wildlife and where they go, the cameras follow. Conservation dogs are back on the Sunshine Coast, with up-and-coming canine Cooper taking the lead and his protégé Hakka in tow.

Allan Marshall recently published an excellent article outlining the important role live sheep exports play in delivering multiple benefits, especially improved animal welfare and global food security ... So why does this closure of the live sheep trade concern Grain Producers Australia?

Introduced foxes, dogs, cats, rats, and other predators kill millions of native animals every year, but what if they were conditioned to associate this prey with food that made them ill? A team of international researchers have shown the potential to do just that, burying baits containing capsules of levamisole, a chemical that induces nausea and vomiting when consumed by predators.

Gaining premiums from the processor, maximising genetic improvement and the latest in sheep handling technology will be on show for lamb producers at the Pepperton Farms information day on September 6. Hosted by the Trewick family, Pepperton Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks at Elmore from 10am to 3pm...

Biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of fire ants into NSW are being ramped up ... NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty visited the Tweed Heads region to discuss a cross-border task force with biosecurity compliance experts ... Ms Moriarty said the enhanced task force would ensure a coordinated approach between both jurisdictions.