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NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Programs and Partnerships

Enhance and strengthen Australia's Biosecurity



Report unusual disease signs, abnormal behaviour or unexplained deaths in livestock and other animals.

Ring the 24 hour EAD hotline on 1800 675 888.



Programs and Partnerships

Our primary industries and environment are continually under threat from outbreaks of potentially devastating pests and diseases.

As the agency responsible for administering the NSW biosecurity legislation , DPIRD has the responsibility to ensure industries and the environment are protected from the threat of incursion, and to respond rapidly and effectively to minimise the impacts through our response if one does occur.

Our access to markets and continual pursuit of premium value for our products mean that we need to ensure effective management through strong traceability and market assurance programs. One of the strategies used to meet our responsibilities is to work in partnership to minimise impacts to primary industries and the environment from endemic biosecurity threats.



Programs


NSW DPIRD is a member of Animal Health Australia (AHA) - the independent national animal health body in Australia, bringing together government and industry to deliver animal health and biosecurity.

As a member, NSW DPI is part of a collective that:

  • Works to increase Australia’s capacity and capability to prepare for, and respond to, emergency animal disease incursions through national programs such as the EADRA , AUSVETPLAN , surveillance and biosecurity.
  • Contributes their expertise and experience and collaborates with other members in working groups and committees to build the overall capability of our biosecurity system.

These are just some of the various programs that NSW DPI is a part of:

National Animal Health Information Program (NAHIP) 

Animal Health Australia manages the National Animal Health Information Program (NAHIP). It is an ongoing collaboration between governments, livestock industries and Wildlife Health Australia to collate surveillance and monitoring data and provide an overview of animal health in Australia. The program maintains a database management system named the National Animal Health information System (NAHIS) and produces the Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly Report and Animal Health in Australia Report.

National Significant Disease Investigation Program (NSDIP)

The National Significant Disease Investigation Program (NSDIP) is a national initiative coordinated by Animal Health Australia (AHA) on behalf of the Australian Government and all state and territory governments. It aims to enhance Australia’s capacity to detect and respond to significant new, unusual, or emerging disease events in livestock and wildlife by supporting timely, high-quality disease investigations.

The program provides funding to private veterinarians for investigating cases that meet specific eligibility criteria, as included below.

Any submissions for NSDIP funding must include a completed ROADE form PDF, 379.85 KB (Recognition of an Emerging or Unusual Disease Event) for assessment and approval.

The program provides funding to private veterinarians for investigating case

Please submit the completed ROADE form to: animal.biosecurity@dpird.nsw.gov.au and laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au Please include “Attention: NSDIP Coordinator and Pathology Laboratory” in the subject line.

Once your application has been assessed, either the NSDIP Coordinator or a Laboratory representative will respond with confirmation of approval. This approval can then be attached or send through with your “Veterinary Specimen Advice Form PDF, 826.64 KB” so that you are not charged for eligible investigations.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Eligible Veterinary Practitioners
    • Must be registered non-government veterinarians actively engaged in clinical veterinary practice.
    • Practitioners from university clinics, zoos or wildlife parks are also eligible.
    • Veterinarians acting in a government employed role are not eligible.

  2. Eligible Events

    The disease event must meet at least one of the following:

    • Involves significant morbidity or mortality in livestock.
      • including any class of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses (including mules and donkeys), poultry, emus, ostrich, alpaca, deer, camel or buffalo.
    • Is clinically consistent with a nationally notifiable disease, regardless of the species.
    • Is suspected to be a new or emerging disease, including:
      • Increasing incidence
      • Expanding geographic or host range
    • Requires further investigation after exclusion of an emergency animal disease (EAD).
      Note: Events where an EAD is suspected must be reported to and investigated by government authorities. These are not eligible for NSDIP subsidies.
  3. Investigation Type
    Eligible investigations include:
    • Field investigations where the PVP conducts clinical exams, necropsies, and/or collects diagnostic samples.
    • Laboratory testing associated with a significant disease event following a field investigation.
  4. Exclusions
    The following are not eligible:
  • Cases involving only phone consultation without site visit or sampling.
  • Investigations that do not generate any diagnostic samples.
  • Routine surveillance or testing that is not associated with a disease investigation.

If you have any questions about eligibility or the application process, please contact animal.biosecurity@dpird.nsw.gov.au.

National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Freedom Assurance Project (TSEFAP)

The preventative and surveillance strategies included in the Transmissible Spongiform Encephelopathy Freedom Assurance Project help to prove that Australia is TSE free and as a result boost our export opportunities. Animal Health Australia (AHA) manages the TSE Freedom Assurance Project (TSEFAP) , which delivers nationally integrated TSE risk minimisation measures to keep Australian animals and their products free from TSEs.

National Transmissible Spongiform Encephelopathy Surveillance Project

Restricted Animal Material (RAM)
Restricted animal material is any material taken from a vertebrate animal other than tallow, gelatine, milk products or oils extracted from poultry and fish. It includes rendered products such as blood meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, fish meal, poultry meal, feather meal, and compounded feeds made from these products.

Australia currently has a ban on feeding restricted animal materials to all ruminants. The ban is in place to prevent the transmission of BSE in the unlikely event it might occur in Australia. BSE was spread in the UK and elsewhere in Europe through feeding cattle meat and bone meal derived from BSE infected cattle. Dietary exposure to feedstuffs containing infected blood and bone meal is the only significant method shown to spread BSE.

Animal Health Australia (AHA) coordinates the ruminant feed ban as part of Australia’s commitment to retain its TSE free status. For more information - Australian Ruminant Feed Ban - Animal Health Australia

National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) 

The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) monitors the distribution of economically important arboviruses (insect-borne viruses) of ruminant livestock and associated insect vectors in Australia.

Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA)

Australia's Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) documents nationally agreed arrangements for the cost sharing of compensation paid to affected livestock enterprises, and payments are managed under jurisdictional legislation varying between states/territories.

AUSVETPLAN - Informing EAD responses

Animal Health Australia manages the development and review of the Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN ) on behalf of its members.

AUSVETPLAN contains the nationally-agreed approach for responding to emergency animal disease (EAD) incidents in Australia. The plan is captured in a series of manuals and supporting documents.

Passive surveillance in NSW program

NSW DPIRD, supported by LLS operate a passive surveillance system across NSW. This system is the main tool used to detect detection of emergency animal diseases and notifiable diseases in NSW. The system uses a network of government and non-government vets, laboratories, and animal health officers to report disease investigations and results. This data allows both a rapid detection of any EAD, as well as analysis of trends in endemic diseases. This information is then used to respond to any EAD’s and inform communication to producers and advisers to assist in the management of endemic diseases. Additionally, this data is reported through national databases to support proof of freedom claims to trading partners. The passive surveillance system allows cost-effective surveillance for animal diseases in NSW, complemented by active surveillance programs for specific pests of diseases.




Market Assurance Programs

1. NSW Ovine Brucellosis Accreditation Scheme

The NSW Ovine Brucellosis Accreditation Scheme allows participants to sell rams accredited low risk for Ovine Brucellosis . This very successful scheme has been in operation since 1981 and is well accepted by the sheep industry.

General Information

Accreditation Forms

Information for veterinarians

Further information

2. Johne's Disease Market Assurance program

Procedures used by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development for administering the Australian Johne's Disease Market Assurance Programs (MAP) for cattle, sheep, goats and alpaca in NSW, consistent with the rules and guidelines published by Animal Health Australia.
Procedure - Johne's Disease Market Assurance Program Administration Procedures (ver 5.1)

3. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) accreditation scheme

The following documents outline the Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) accreditation scheme.

NSW CAE accreditation scheme guidelines (PDF, 191.0 KB)

CAE accreditation scheme veterinary report and recommendation accreditation form PDF, 143.7 KB

CAE accreditation scheme owner application and agreement form PDF, 120.34 KB PDF, 136.3 KB

CAE approved vet application

4. National Salmonella Enteritidis Monitoring & Accreditation Program (NSEMAP)

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a type of Salmonella that is present in most international egg industries.

The NSEMAP is available to all commercial egg producers in Australia.

An accreditation certificate can be issued by DPIRD for accredited flocks, which can be used as evidence of the SE-free status of these flocks and their eggs for export markets.

Further information

5. Joint NSW / VIC Salmonella Pullorum Monitoring & Accreditation Program (J-NSW/VIC SPMAP)

The Australian commercial chicken industry is free of Salmonella Pullorum.

The J-NSW/VIC SPMAP is available to commercial poultry producers in NSW and VIC exporting day old chicks, hatching eggs and other poultry products to overseas markets.

Poultry species covered in the J-NSW/VIC SPMAP include chickens, turkeys, ducks and quail.

An accreditation certificate can be issued by DPIRD for accredited flocks, which can be used as evidence of the SP-free status of flocks and their eggs for export markets.

General information

Accreditation forms

Further information




Partnerships

Local Land Services

Local Land Services plays a pivotal role in helping to protect against pests, weeds and diseases and other environmental threats. Local Land Services connects landholders with services, advice and networks.

Local Land Services is supporting best biosecurity outcomes across NSW by working with NSW DPI, land managers and other stakeholders to set priorities and strategies for managing biosecurity risks. By having a regionally tailored approach Local Land Services can ensure the biosecurity needs and challenges of each region are considered and addressed.

Local Land Services works closely with the community and land managers on their biosecurity duties and helps them to:

  • Understand, identify, manage, mitigate biosecurity risks
  • manage priority weeds and invasives, reducing their impact
  • know what, when and how to report pests, weeds and diseases

Local Land Services prefers to work with land managers to educate and advise them in order to ensure they meet their obligations. However, where necessary, authorised officers under the Biosecurity Act may take action against people who are in breach of the legislation to protect NSW from potential biosecurity threats.

NSW DPI and Local Land Services work together on biosecurity through the Strategic Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Alliance (SABWA).

OneHealth

NSW DPIRD works closely with NSW Health and the NSW Food Authority to monitor and manage animal diseases that can impact humans:

Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that can pass from animals to humans. Seventy-five per cent of new human diseases are zoonotic.

Some zoonotic diseases, such as Anthrax , Hendra virus infection, Avian influenza or Australian Bat Lyssavirus can be very serious in humans and may cause fatalities.

It is important that people who handle or treat animals are aware of the risk of zoonotic diseases.

It is not possible to eliminate all risks associated with zoonotic diseases. However, people can take steps to reduce the likelihood of getting a zoonotic disease. Examples include avoid or minimise contact with potentially infective animals or use personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling infected animals or their products.

More information can be found on zoonoses – animal diseases that affect people

Wildlife Health

NSW DPIRD is the lead agency

  • in the coordination of investigation of any wildlife health incident where an infectious pest or disease is suspected or confirmed as a significant biosecurity impact to public health, domestic animal health, animal welfare, the environment or economy
  • in the coordination of information and investigation of any wildlife health incident where the disease agent is unknown, until it is deemed there is no likely significant biosecurity impact from an infectious pest or disease to public health, domestic animal health, animal welfare or the economy
  • for the management of suspected or confirmed emergency animal pest or disease in wildlife in accordance with the Australian veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN ) Wild Animal Response Strategy, individual AUSVETPLAN disease strategies or other emergency animal disease response plans

    • In addition, NSW DPI provides a supporting role to the appropriate organisations in other wildlife health incident responses, including biosecurity management, surveillance, infectious disease investigation and laboratory services through the NSW DPIRD Laboratory Service.

    For more information go to

    Australian Registry of Wildlife Health

    Wildlife Health Australia (WHA)

    Wildlife and wild animals  

    Private Veterinarians

    Private veterinarians have a wealth of expertise, local knowledge and drive to contribute to successful management of suspect animal disease investigations and emergency responses in NSW.

    NSW DPIRD and private veterinarians are working together to improve private veterinarians’ awareness of emergency management procedures, and the roles and responsibilities of response participants will enable them to understand and engage in future responses to greater effect.

    Visit the Vet Hub for more information and resources

    Animal Welfare

    NSW DPIRD and Animal Welfare work together on biosecurity through the Strategic Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Alliance (SABWA).

    Strategic Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Alliance (SABWA)

    The Strategic Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Alliance (SABWA) identifies and seeks to address emerging risks to the economy, environment and community from diseases and pests that affect animal health and welfare. It provides a framework for governance and accountability for biosecurity and welfare outcomes, which are co-delivered by Ag&Bio and LLS representatives.

    Activities in preparedness, prevention, detection, response and containment of threats and management of animal welfare, are core business activities undertaken by all SABWA partners. The 2024-27 Strategic Plan PDF, 1422.58 KB reflects key deliverables of the 2022-30 DPI Strategic Plan and the 2020-30 LLS State Strategic Plan, demonstrating how DPIRD Agriculture and Biosecurity and LLS strive to safeguard NSW economy, environment and community from Animal biosecurity and welfare impacts.

    The NSW DPIRD Strategic Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Alliance (SABWA) Annual Action Plan (Action Plan) PDF, 498.48 KB is developed from the NSW DPIRD Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Strategic Plan 2024 – 2027 PDF, 1422.58 KB (Strategic Plan 2024-2027).

    Industry and Agriculture

    Having a strong animal biosecurity framework in NSW requires effective engagement across animal sectors, which is facilitated both internally via cross-functional teams such as the Agriculture branch of NSW DPIRD and the NSW Food Authority and externally with industry stakeholders. External engagement to establish an effective animal biosecurity framework in NSW requires interactions with stakeholders including NSW Farmers , Animal Health Australia , peak industry representative bodies, professional associations (eg. Australian Veterinary Association ), farmers and producers.

    Other Key Partnerships

    Australian Veterinary Association (AVA)

    Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

    Charles Sturt University (CSU) Equine and Veterinary Centres




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