Biosecurity tips from AgVic

There’s a renewed focus on farm biosecurity this year with the threat of foot-and-mouth disease, and Agriculture Victoria is helping farmers with some handy tips about Biosecurity Management Plans (BMPs).

AgVic has outlined the steps any farmer thinking about their biosecurity plan needs to consider: finding a farm biosecurity template, adapting it to your farm’s individual situation, adding a BMP with mandatory content, filing it in a safe place, and sharing it with staff.

New laws have been introduced in Victoria enabling livestock producers to protect their property from unlawful trespassers, but to take advantage of these protections, producers must have both a BMP and compliant biosecurity signage.

A BMP coversheet must be in place on the property where livestock activities occur with a clear title, contact information, area description, and preparation details.

Biosecurity signs must be in clear view at all main vehicle access points to the area outlined in the BMP, containing the word ‘STOP’ or ‘VISITORS’, a reference to the Livestock Management Regulations 2021, a statement that a contravention of a prescribed biosecurity measure is an offence, a summary of any prescribed biosecurity measures that apply to the premises, and the method of contacting a nominated person (such as a phone number or email address) for a visitor to obtain consent for a prescribed biosecurity measure.

If these are both in place, it is an offence for a visitor to enter or remain on a livestock premises without consent from a nominated person, with on-the-spot fines equivalent to $1,294 for an individual, and $8,321 for an organisation.

For more serious offending where prosecution is undertaken, and it proceeds to the Magistrates’ Court for determination, the penalties for non-compliance with prescribed biosecurity measures include a fine of up to $11,095 for an individual, and up to $55,476 for an organisation.

For more information on BMPs and how to use one to protect your livestock, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bmp.