Biosecurity

Biosecurity

Biosecurity relates to preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, invasive pests or weeds.

Good biosecurity practices prevent the spread of infectious disease and invasive pests or weeds between farms as well as protecting Australia from diseases and weeds that occur overseas. Biosecurity procedures address the containment of disease outbreaks when they occur. 

How do producers meet this LPA requirement?

Updates to the LPA website now allow farm biosecurity plans to be completed entirely online rather than on a printed template.

Access ISC’s detailed step-by-step guide to creating and uploading documents to your LPA account to learn how to complete your digital farm biosecurity plan.

Guide to creating or uploading documents to your LPA account

 

As a livestock producer, you must implement on-farm biosecurity systems to minimise the risk of infectious diseases being introduced to livestock production properties and the subsequent spread of any such diseases, and this includes:

• Have a formal, documented Farm Biosecurity Plan for each Property Identification Code (PIC)
• Ensure all livestock movements onto the PIC have a known health status (e.g. Livestock Health Statement/Declaration or equivalent)
• Inspect all introduced livestock for signs of ill health or disease on arrival and keep in isolation for a minimum period of time
• Regularly inspect livestock for ill health and disease and undertake appropriate action where necessary
• Minimise the risk of livestock straying onto or from the property
• Keep records of livestock movements, as well as vehicle and visitor movements where reasonable and practical.
• Implement other procedures or practices that contribute to minimising the risk or spread of disease.

Ensuring your livestock are, and remain, free from serious infectious diseases allows you to maximise farm productivity and minimise animal discomfort, stock losses and medical costs. 

Biosecurity practices will be reviewed during an LPA audit. Producers must have a documented biosecurity plan available if selected for an LPA audit. Biosecurity practices will also be reviewed as part of the LPA accreditation assessment process.