AVA Conference Adelaide 2016

Rural Australia has experienced a demographic shift in the last forty years where there has been a move from a landscape dominated by large commercial family farms, to one we now see which includes large farms interspersed with rural residential properties and weekenders. The peri-urban or small lot holders (SLH), form part of our rural landscape and bring with them a diversity that enriches and strengthens rural communities. They have for many years been regarded as a high biosecurity risk. Their lack of farming background and subsequent level of knowledge, especially of biosecurity practices, puts them at risk for the introduction and spread of exotic disease and pests. Although they potentially lack experience in certain areas, many are also knowledge seekers and are motivated to “do the right thing” by their animals and neighbours. The main concerns from this sector include the lack of biosecurity knowledge and the amount of informal trading of sheep, cattle and pigs. Informal trading means traceability is compromised and will slow or hinder control in the event of an emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreak. Any focus in the area should aim to increase compliance and must include the pig trading small lot holder as this is a particularly high risk for the introduction and establishment of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD). The lack of investment in this small lot holder extension requires a coordinated response from all relevant stake holders, to ensure better use of existing scant resources. This paper will summarise some of the strategies formulated in a workshop held in 2015 in Melbourne.