Welcome to the September edition of Tendrils!
In this edition we cover the relaunch of the Pest and Disease Image Library (PaDIL), the recent Annual Surveillance and Diagnostic Workshop held in Melbourne, and the Grains Farm Biosecurity two-day meeting that was held at the PHA offices in Canberra. I’m also delighted to announce that we have released two new online training packages to assist more people in recognising exotic pests and diseases.
The Annual Surveillance and Diagnostics Workshop (ADSW) is an annual networking event which allows diagnosticians and surveillance practitioners to come together and share knowledge and learnings. The last face-to-face ADSW was held in March 2020.
This year’s Annual Diagnostics and Surveillance Workshop (ADSW) was held from 30 August to 1 September at AgriBio at La Trobe University in Melbourne. The theme of the hybrid workshop was “Surveillance and Diagnostics – integrated to inspire and innovate” and the program had three subthemes:
Subtheme 1: Integration and innovation: cases and opportunities for bringing elements of the biosecurity system together
Subtheme 2: Inspiration and discovery of the new
Subtheme 3: National surveillance program updates
The workshop was facilitated by Plant Health Australia (PHA) and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) as a part of the ‘National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostics and Surveillance Professional Development and Protocols’ projects.
Some of the highlights include:
“The ADSW was a successful event with initial feedback indicating that more joint diagnostics and surveillance workshops should be held,” said Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, PHA National Manager, Diagnostics.
“We are planning to include a field trip, panel discussions and training in future workshops,” she said.
An ADSW report will be completed in the near future and uploaded to: NPBDN website and the Plant Surveillance Network website.
Increasing numbers of travelers and increasing volumes of goods entering Australia place more pressure on Australia’s biosecurity system for faster and accurate identification of plant pests, especially where these may be exotic species, national priority plant pests, industry high priority pests and trade sensitive established pests.
High throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies can increase Australia’s diagnostic capacity, and deliver rapid, more accurate results to support our agribusiness and our environment, and lower biosecurity risks by being prepared.
A workshop, organised by Plant Health Australia (PHA), on 2 September 2022 considered the requirements for a nationally coordinated HTS database.
This database will provide a central, secure and private online location to store, analyse and view aggregated national and jurisdictional plant health genomic data.
The workshop was adjacent to the 2022 Annual Diagnostics & Surveillance Workshop, 30 August to 1 September, at AgriBio at La Trobe University, Melbourne. It represents the first round of consultation for a 12-month project to determine the requirements for a HTS database.
A further workshop will be held, followed by a survey to finalise the brief for a service provider to develop a fully costed scope to deliver and maintain the HTS database. Other outputs of this project will be the creation of a stakeholder group based on workshop attendees, and draft governance arrangements and data standards.
36 participants from PHA, the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), state and territory government departments, Timor-Leste, CSIRO, universities, and the Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative (PBRI), attended the workshop.
This project is funded under DAFF’s Biosecurity Innovation Program which supports collaboration between industry and government, investing in identification, development and implementation of innovative technologies and approaches to enhance the capacity of Australia’s national biosecurity system.
Fast access to data and information is key to support the quick identification of, and rapid response to, the detection of exotic pests and diseases to ensure the appropriate response strategies are implemented.
To continually improve Australia’s biosecurity toolkit and to aid the effective and efficient detection of plant biosecurity risks, Plant Health Australia (PHA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Museums Victoria and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia (DPIRD, WA) recently relaunched the Pest and Disease Image Library (PaDIL). Funded by DAFF, the updated and modernised version of PaDIL was developed by PHA in consultation with Australian governments.
A scientific identification tool, PaDIL is an online database containing high-quality diagnostic images and information tools designed to assist agronomists, biosecurity officers, diagnosticians and researchers both in Australia and overseas.
The diagnostic tool, hosted by PHA, contains detailed records of invertebrates, bacteria, fungi, viruses and viroids, and phytoplasmas that threaten a range of agriculture sectors, animals and human health.
The refreshed system boasts improved search functionality, a diagnostic image comparison tool for specimen triaging and taxonomic identification, and increased representation of priority pest species.
“Enhancing system integration is key to strengthening the national plant health system and using new tools and technologies drives actions that protect our market access,” said Sarah Corcoran, CEO of PHA.
“PaDIL has been designed as a key diagnostic resource to increase both detection and diagnostic capability,” Ms Corcoran said.
Australia’s Chief Plant Protection Officer, Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith, said the upgraded PaDIL will assist a range of stakeholders including scientists, biosecurity officers, policy officers, farmers and citizen scientists to diagnose plant pests and diseases.
“The system will support further scientific research and activities to protect against and reduce the impact of pests and diseases,” Dr Vivian-Smith said.
“Australia is lucky to be free from many of the world’s most damaging plant pests, and our biosecurity system helps protect us from exotic plant pests.”
“This new generation PaDIL is an incredibly valuable tool, providing the most up to date resources to aid and accelerate diagnostics, which is essential for an efficient and effective biosecurity response, as well as research,” said Dr Sonya Broughton, DPIRD, WA Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer.
Visit the PADIL website for more information.
Find out more about plant pest and disease risks.
The impending threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) after it was recently detected in Indonesia, could devastate Australia’s agriculture industry, with the economic impact estimated at $80 billion over 10 years.
FMD is considered one of Australia’s greatest biosecurity risks and an incursion would have significant consequences for animal health and trade.
The FMD virus is carried by live animals and in meat and dairy products as well as soil, bones, untreated hides, vehicles and equipment. The virus can also be carried on clothing and footwear.
The rapid spread of FMD in Indonesia has led to the implementation, heightened alert and screening activities in Australia, and an increased need to update farm biosecurity plans.
Although FMD does not directly impact growers, it can potentially stop Australian exports of animals, hay and prevent the movement of livestock and agricultural products from farms.
According to ABARES’ Financial performance of cropping farms 2019–20 to 2021–22 report, 8,900 out of 16,000 plant industry farms in Australia, are mixed operations.
“All agricultural industries are connected and a disruption by an emergency animal disease such as FMD is likely to be felt by growers and mixed farming operations (those with plant and livestock operations),” said Sarah Corcoran, CEO of Plant Health Australia (PHA).
Ms Corcoran said it is important for growers and mixed farming operations to prepare to minimise the impact and maintain business continuity in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.
“It is key to have an updated farm biosecurity plan,” she said.
A farm biosecurity plan demonstrates how plant operations are segregated from animal production.
“Decontamination procedures, wash down points, records of visitors to the property, and a record of materials and farming machinery that have been brought on to the property, are some of the information to be included in a biosecurity plan,” said Stuart Kearns, National Manager Preparedness, RD&E.
PHA has developed a framework and a quick guide to help plant industries and mixed operations to prepare for animal and plant pest and disease outbreaks and identify business opportunities that could arise.
The framework is based on the AFITE (Assess, Find, Identify, Thresholds, Enact) model.
“The framework is based on the same effective approach taken for fall armyworm, Russian wheat aphid, and serpentine leaf miner in recent outbreaks,” he said.
The first and one of the most important steps is farm biosecurity planning. PHA has developed a Farm Biosecurity Action Planner, which has triggered industry specific planning guides including cotton, rice, melons, and grains. The biosecurity action planners are available on PHA’s website, the Farm Biosecurity website, the Grains Farm Biosecurity website, and various industry websites.
Assessment tools
“FMD spreads most commonly through the movement of animals, but the virus can also be transmitted through material that has been in contact with infected animals,” said Mr Kearns.
The Grains Farm Biosecurity website has useful templates, including a vehicle register, a consultant checklist, and agreement.
“A biosecurity gate sign is important at entry and exit points with clear instructions to advise visitors to the farm, what they need to do before entering or exiting,” he said.
The second step is to know when and how to look for signs of FMD.
Symptoms include:
Tips:
Early identification is key in containing and eradicating the disease. FMD is a nationally notifiable disease, which means you are obligated to contact your local veterinarian, government veterinarian officer or call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 to report any suspected symptoms.
Australia has a zero tolerance to FMD and one animal life lost, is one too many.
“Our best chance to contain and eradicate the disease rely on early detection and reporting. Don’t hesitate to report anything unusual. A false alarm is better than the disease spreading,” said Mr Kearns.
The final step refers to enacting your biosecurity plan with a focus on good hygiene practices and controlling the movement of livestock, people and equipment on to your property.
Tips
To assist mixed producers prepare for a possible FMD incursion, PHA recently hosted a FMD webinar . Listen to the webinar here:.
Welcome to the August edition of Tendrils!
This month, I recorded a video message where I share a round-up of plant biosecurity news including the inaugural National Biosecurity Strategy, PHA’s FMD webinar for mixed producers and a welcome to new faces at PHA.
Nominations are now open for the Queensland Agriculture Awards 2022, which celebrate the passionate innovators and key influencers in agriculture, fisheries, or forestry.
The Peter Kenny Medal recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Queensland’s agriculture, fisheries and/or forestry sector in terms of leadership and innovation, leading to profitability and sustainability.
The Minister’s Emerging Leader Award recognises an individual who has shown outstanding leadership or the potential to make a significant contribution to their field of interest, the wider industry, and the rural community.
Both awards include a $3000 bursary, with winners announced at the Trop Ag Conference dinner on 1 November 2022.
View the criteria and nominate a worthy recipient by visiting the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries engagement hub.
Nominations close on 2 September 2022.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious animal disease that affects all cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, deer and pigs. FMD is considered one of Australia’s greatest biosecurity risks and an incursion would have severe consequences on animal health and trade.
The FMD virus is carried by live animals and in meat and dairy products as well as soil, bones, untreated hides, vehicle and equipment. The virus can also be carried on clothing and footwear.
With FMD on our borders, it is vital that producers know the potential impacts they may face and what they can do as a mixed farmer to prepare.
Plant Health Australia (PHA) hosted an online overview of FMD on Tuesday, 16 August. Sarah Corcoran, CEO of PHA, moderated the webinar, with presentations by Kathleen Plowman, CEO of Animal Health Australia (AHA), Dr Therese Wright, Head of Program Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) at AHA, and Stuart Kearns, National Manager Preparedness and RD&E at PHA.
Presentations focused on what is happening at the national and jurisdictional level; what plant industries can expect to happen in an Emergency Animal Disease response; and the role of biosecurity planning in preparing a property.
Captivating the interest of school children is the latest approach taken by the Panama TR4 Program to spread the message, not the disease.
The Panama TR4 Program (Program) aims to inspire the next generation of biosecurity champions through a new children’s book about Panama disease tropical race 4 (Panama TR4).
Carrying simple messages and fun facts, ‘Charlie goes bananas!’ highlights the importance of biosecurity and shared responsibility. Key banana industry messages are entwined through the storyline of a young and enthusiastic ‘Charlie’, who visits his grandfather’s banana farm in Tully, Far North Queensland.
The official launch of ‘Charlie goes bananas!’ was a light-hearted celebration featuring the author Matilda Bishop reading to local primary school children. Biosecurity Queensland officers, Australian Banana Growers’ Council representatives, Cassowary Coast Regional Council staff and local media attended, however it was the children that were the stars of the day.
“Shut the gate mate!” they all screamed at the top of their lungs outside the banana farm at the Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture at South Johnstone.
“What TV show am I going to be on? Is it A Current Affair?” one future biosecurity champion asked after noticing the videographer. They were all too pleased to learn the news would go to television, radio and print!
“Charlie goes bananas!’ targets the grade three academic level and was commissioned by the Panama TR4 Program, a joint initiative between the Queensland Government and the Australian Banana Growers’ Council.
With Panama TR4 management currently transitioning from government to industry, ‘Charlie goes bananas!’ is one of the ways the Program hopes to keep the biosecurity messages alive for many years to come.
‘Charlie goes bananas!’ can be found as a publication alongside the Panama TR4 Grower Kit or in video form on the BQ YouTube channel.
The founding partners of the Biosecurity Collective welcome today’s release of Australia’s first National Biosecurity Strategy, which marks the start of transformative change to the Australian biosecurity system.
The release of the Strategy completes the first step of the Biosecurity Collective’s five-point plan, which also aims to establish 2021-2030 as the Decade of Biosecurity; to design an innovation-centred biosecurity system; to create a formal national biosecurity partnership agreement between government, industry and the community; and to mobilise a 25-million strong biosecurity mass movement.
The Decade of Biosecurity is a collaborative initiative that seeks to engage all Australians in a stronger biosecurity system. The initiative began as an outcome of the 2019 Australian Biosecurity Symposium to future-proof Australia’s biosecurity system and was officially launched in May this year.
Kathleen Plowman, CEO of Animal Health Australia (AHA), said the release of the strategy is a big step towards ensuring the biosecurity system is up to scratch – with several largescale pest and disease threats close to our border – and it is excellent to see a sustainable investment plan as one of the priority areas.
“We’ve been calling for a national strategy for many years, which includes a strong plan for long-term and sustainable investment in the system. Each of our four organisations and our members have been actively involved in the Strategy’s development, and with foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease and other threats now closer than ever, the time is right to ensure that this strategy is implemented effectively, properly and collaboratively, and receives the funding it needs and deserves,” Kathleen said.
“As our world is changing and biosecurity threats become more complex, it is imperative that we invest our collective efforts in a common purpose with clear outputs,” said Sarah Corcoran, CEO of Plant Health Australia (PHA).
“By creating a shared biosecurity culture, we will be able to drive positive biosecurity behaviours and embed biosecurity decision-making in business continuity planning. A shared biosecurity culture means we share both the responsibility and the benefits,” Sarah said.
Andrew Cox, CEO of the Invasive Species Council (ISC) strongly supports the establishment of an implementation committee that represents the diversity of key biosecurity stakeholders.
“This is a big job and a collaborative approach will be essential to successfully prepare the biosecurity system for 2030. Given the urgent threats facing us we encourage the rapid finalisation of the implementation and action plans by the end of this year to safeguard Australia’s industries, environment and our way of life,” Andrew said.
Andreas Glanznig, CEO of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS), said the Strategy, reinforced by the sobering conclusions of the recently released national state of the environment report, will need to fast-track the research and innovation needed to transform the current biosecurity system to fully defend us against growing 21st century biosecurity threats.
“This includes building the awareness, tools and systems to empower citizens to report biosecurity threats across the country. To date, community reporting has allowed quick interception of khapra beetles – a major cropping pest, and invasive ants – a major threat to wildlife and Australia’s outdoor way of life.”
The National Biosecurity Strategy covers exotic and established pests, weeds and diseases, including zoonotic diseases, but does not extend to human biosecurity.
AHA and PHA were part of the Strategy’s working group, and the ISC participated in the reference group. Many members of the four organisations making up the Biosecurity Collective also participated in the Strategy’s consultation phases to ensure it was fit-for-purpose across the system.
The Strategy which will guide the work of government, industry and community for the next decade and beyond will be reviewed after five years.
Recent Comments