What can cause Australia’s next 72-hour lockdown: FMD

The nation’s livestock will be locked down for 72 hours if foot and mouth disease is detected, with the industry warning Australia’s image could be tarnished for years.

A snap lockdown on the nation’s livestock will be implemented for 72 hours if foot and mouth disease is detected on Australian soil, as the industry warns the reputational damage will last for years if it is present.

The agriculture industry is continuing to urge against shutting borders at this stage, instead calling for vigilance from farmers and tighter airport and biosecurity measures.

It comes as Agriculture Minister Murray Watt urged calm and stressed that Australia remained FMD disease free and its meat products remained safe to eat.

Foot and mouth disease is highly contagious, affects cloven-hoofed animals and can be carried by people on their shoes, clothes and even noses and is predicted to cause $80 billion damage to the economy if it gets into the country.

AgForce President Mike Guerin

AgForce boss Mike Guerin said it was important to stress that Australia remained disease-free right now and had strict protocols which will come into play in a bid to limit the spread.

This includes the “Ausvetplan”, or Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan, which calls for a “national livestock standstill” for at least 72 hours from when the disease is first detected while risk assessment and surveillance is carried out.

It is only applied to FMD-susceptible animals, like cows and pigs, and not to products like beef and pork.

Mr Guerin said it was important that farmers remained vigilant and report any suspected symptoms in their livestock, because the standstill is an order to stop the animals being moved and can prevent the spread.

“It’s the best chance of stopping a fully-fledged outbreak,” Mr Guerin said.

“Producers can enormously help Australia by watching for signs.”

But he said it was better to prevent it from entering the country, through ramped up biosecurity at airports not border closures, as the reputational damage to Australia would be significant.

“The reputation of Australia would tarnished forever because we go big on our disease free status,” Mr Guerin said.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt

Senator Watt said his advice was that closing the border to Indonesia, where there is a significant outbreak, was not necessary at this time.

“It’s important that as we face this challenge that we all remain calm and work collaboratively to ensure the strong reputation of our $80 billion agriculture industry around the world.”

“I’m in constant contact with our biosecurity experts about whether that is required whether any other measure is required. And the consistent advice is that that’s not necessary,” he said.

Opposition agriculture spokesman David Littleproud accused Senator Watt of indecision.

“It’s important now from Murray Watt to articulate what is that juncture, that trigger point in which we would have to temporarily look at border measures,” Mr Littleproud said.