Australia: Beware of biosecurity boredom; FMD and others may shatter agricultural exports

Eighteen months ago fears of foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease threats to Australia's livestock industries were big news - and they still should be, says beef sector leader, David Foote. Our $65 billion-plus agricultural export trade could rapidly unravel if there were biosecurity failures involving major diseases so far kept at bay by Australia's ocean borders and quarantine rules. The Cattle Australia director is uneasy about the farm sector and the general public growing bored and relaxing the focus on dangers which still genuinely exist to our flocks and herds from such potent exotic diseases on our continental doorstep. Those risks would also shatter Australia's export meat and fibre market credentials. Even if swiftly contained, he said a biosecurity breach, such as an FMD outbreak, would savage Australia's animal product reputation and trade relationships with overseas buyers, and devalue our export earnings. In 2022 outbreaks of both diseases in Indonesia sent ...