Agriculture Minister Murray Watt announced that one million passengers disembarking from Indonesia have walked over foot-and-mouth disease disinfectant mats in place at Australia’s airports. Source: wirestock/Freepik
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt announced a new milestone in the prevention of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in the Australia. As of Monday morning, one million passengers disembarking from Indonesia had walked over disinfectant mats used across Australia’s airports.
FMD is a deadly livestock illness that threatened Australia’s $90 billion agriculture industry last year. The virus that causes FMD had not been detected in Australia for more than 100 years.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the “FMD virus is carried by live animals and in meat and dairy products, as well as in soil, bones, untreated hides, vehicles and equipment used with these animals. It can also be carried on people’s clothing and footwear and survive in frozen, chilled and freeze-dried foods.”
Minister Watt noted the importance of the milestone in Australia’s biosecurity measures against FMD, and its reminder of the risks to Australia biosecurity and economic systems.
“Australia’s biosecurity system is under unprecedented pressure, with a range of devastating animal and plant diseases on our doorstop,” said Watt in a media release by the Department of Agriculture.
“This just shows why we need to keep Australia’s biosecurity system strong.
“While Australia remains FMD free, the risk to our agriculture industry remains.
“We are strongly committed to protecting Australia from pest and disease incursions which is why which is why we allocated $134 million in funding in the last budget to bolster Australia’s biosecurity system.”
Watt also noted that over 40 tonnes of meat items at risk of FMD had been confiscated at the Australian border since July last year. Bans included personal meat products brought in by travellers.
“Our biosecurity officers and inspectors do a fantastic job of keeping Australia’s environment safe from pests and disease,” he said. “But the threats keep increasing, which is putting a strain on the systems that protect us.”
