Biosecurity

191 The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) ().30 November 2022). Can the minister advise:

1. Are any departmental resources committed to assisting farmers in developing and updating their biosecurity plans?

2. Have farmers received any direct communications from the government or department to assist them in developing and updating their biosecurity plan?

3. When was this communication provided?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): I have been advised:

1. PIRSA provides the One Biosecurity online application which has been developed to allow sheep and cattle producers to create and update their biosecurity plans in a self-guided online format. Should producers require additional advice they can contact both their industry biosecurity officer or PIRSA biosecurity staff.

Under the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) industry is responsible through normal commitments for farm level biosecurity implementation to reduce the risk of an emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreak. Farm biosecurity planning resources are available to assist industry sectors which can be found on the national farm biosecurity website.

Through the red meat and wool program, PIRSA funded upgrades to the One Biosecurity online application as well as providing a grant for a biosecurity extension officer working within Livestock SA to improve farm level biosecurity. Livestock SA has continued to fund officers who will continue to provide support to producers regarding farm level biosecurity to producers.

PIRSA also jointly funds a pig industry biosecurity officer with Pork SA to strengthen biosecurity preparedness across the pig supply chain, which includes a component of improving farm level biosecurity with producers.

2. As part of a wider communication campaign regarding the outbreak of lumpy skin disease and foot-and-mouth disease in Indonesia the department emailed all South Australian producers holding a property identification code urging them to be alert to the signs of FMD and LSD, to update their biosecurity plans and providing links to sites with biosecurity information.

One Biosecurity members have also received a newsletter highlighting the improvements of the online biosecurity application and urging them to review their plans. Members will receive regular biosecurity news and tips to help keep farm biosecurity in front of mind.

3. The communication was timed to complement the wider national and state level government and industry communication campaigns. The biosecurity notice was emailed to all livestock producers and also posted on the PIRSA website on 3 August 2022. The One Biosecurity member news was posted on the One Biosecurity web page on 24 November 2022 and members notified of the new article via email on 2 December 2022.