Biosecurity, pests and diseases

Under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) there is a general obligation to take action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants. The general biosecurity duty can be found in Part 3 of the Act. Specifically, section
22 of the Act provides:

Any person who deals with biosecurity matter or a carrier and who knows, or ought reasonably to know, the biosecurity risk posed or likely to be posed by the biosecurity matter, carrier or dealing has a biosecurity duty to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the biosecurity risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised.

Landowners or managers therefore have a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise biosecurity risks by taking action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants. The Australian dairy industry recommends that all dairy farmers should have a biosecurity management plan. Generally, a plan is a tool to reduce incursions
entering the farm and outlines processes to identify these risks and proactively or responsively manage them. It may include other supporting plans, such as a weed management plan.

If you suspect an outbreak of an emergency or notifiable animal disease, call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Definitions under the Biosecurity Act 2015

Prohibited matter refers to a defined list of pests and diseases that are outlined in the Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) including diseases that are exotic to Australia (such as foot and mouth disease), diseases that are exotic to New South Wales but present in other parts of Australia (such as devil facial tumour disease) and other emergency animal diseases that can have serious consequences to animal or human health (such as Hendra virus infection and anthrax).

Other listed notifiable pests and diseases of animals includes endemic animal diseases already present in NSW such as Johne’s disease. This list is detailed in Schedule 1 to the Biosecurity Regulation 2017 (NSW).

A biosecurity event includes new or emerging disease events, a significant disease event from a listed notifiable disease (other than prohibited matter), prohibited feed events such as feeding restricted animal material (RAM)* to ruminants, or chemical contamination events. The Biosecurity Regulation 2017 also declares the following to be biosecurity events in animals:

a. the appearance of ulcers and blisters on the mouth or feet and skin nodules of ruminants

b. an unexplained and significant increase in a mortality rate (death) or morbidity rate (illness) in animals

c. an unexplained and significant fall in production relating to animals

d. the appearance of other unexplained and significant clinical signs in animals including, but not limited to, unexplained neurological signs or conditions.

Invasive weeds are also known as biosecurity matter or priority weeds. Priority weeds are plants that have the potential to pose a biosecurity risk to human health, the economy, liveability and the environment. There are state and regional priority weed prevention and control obligations that are enforced by Local ControlAuthorities (local councils). Local councils or Local Land Services officers provideup-to-date information on priority weeds. They also have resources such as the Weeds of the North Coast of NSW – A guide to identification and control (LLS, 2021).

*Note – Restricted animal material (RAM) means any material derived from a vertebrate. RAM includes rendered products—for example, blood meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, fish meal, poultry meal, feather meal, and compounded feeds made from these products (Biosecurity Regulation 2017 (NSW)).

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Dairy operators are audited annually against the Dairy Food Safety Scheme to ensure they meet requirements set out in the Food Act 2003 (NSW), Food Regulation 2015 (NSW) and FSANZ 4.2.4 Primary Production and Processing Standard Dairy. The NSW Food Authority oversees the auditing of licensed food businesses in NSW (including dairies) that are required to have a regularly audited food safety plan (FSP). Certain milk processors operating in NSW have company specific quality assurance programs that stipulate the content of the supplying dairy farm FSP, and auditing processes and frequency. QA programs safeguard against residues (for example, chemical, antibiotic, pathogenic) entering the milk supplied for human consumption.

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