Calls to cut livestock from Royal Melbourne Show due to FMD risk

New guidelines state if foot and mouth disease is discovered at the Royal Melbourne Show all participating animals will be destroyed.

This year’s Melbourne Royal Show is shaping up as a battleground as industry leaders struggle with the challenge of the risk of foot and mouth disease.

With authorities on high alert in the wake of a recent outbreak of the disease on the Indonesian resort island of Bali – frequented by tens of thousands Australians every month – Animal Health Australia has this week released advice with Agricultural Shows Australia for the upcoming show period.

Initially that advice said show societies “may need to start planning for an ag show without animals.”

That advice has since been removed from the AHA website, but key measures remain, including if FMD is discovered at a show, all participating animals would be destroyed.

“If the showgrounds is an infected property, susceptible animals on site will be euthanised and the carcasses disposed of appropriately,” the guide said.

“If the showgrounds is subject to a livestock standstill within a declared EAD area, any susceptible animals on the property will need to be safely housed and maintained until animal movements are allowed.”

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock president Steve Harrison said animals should not be allowed to be part of this year’s Melbourne Show in September given it brought them closer to a bigger population.

Mr Harrison said there was “too much at risk to allow it to happen”.

“It really is a double edged sword,” Mr Harrison said.

“Someone could be patting a calf one day and give it FMD and then – it doesn’t bear thinking about.

“We know that the show is vitally important for the chance for farmers to tell their story but there is just too much at risk and I would prefer that it (livestock attending the show) did not happen.”

Meanwhile, another industry leader has said anyone who has come from an FMD-affected nation should be banned from attending any agricultural event for at least seven days after they return.

WoolProducers Australia chief executive Jo Hall said it was “incumbent on everyone to take responsibility in minimising the risk posed by this disease.”

“Individuals both those in agriculture and the general public must play their part in ensuring that we mitigate the risk of FMD,” Ms Hall said.

“For example, anybody who has returned from FMD affected countries should not be coming into contact with susceptible animals for at least seven days, either on-farm or at agricultural shows.”

A spokeswoman for the Royal Melbourne Show said they were committed to keeping exhibitors informed of updated biosecurity measures and would “provide further clarity as the situation evolves”.

“We want to assure exhibitors that the safety of their animals is our absolute priority,” the spokeswoman said.

“There are no indications at this stage of any exhibitors withdrawing from the Melbourne Royal Show (due to the FMD risk).”.