Firstly, the new industry-driven Johne’s Disease approach incorporated biosecurity plan requirements into its “J-BAS” scoring system. Any producer wanting a score higher than 0 (which essentially indicates known Johne’s Disease infection) will need a biosecurity plan in place; those wanting the highest scores (7 or 8) will need to get a vet involved in developing and approving this plan.

Second, changes to the industry Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program will require all properties to have a farm biosecurity plan in place by 1st October this year. LPA accreditation is essential for most producers as it allows access to the LPA National Vendor Declaration (NVD) – a document used when selling livestock.

Lastly, new biosecurity legislation (which came into effect this month) requires all producers to fulfil a “general biosecurity duty”. This is just legal speak for doing whatever is practical to minimise biosecurity risks on your property. For example, when it comes to footrot in sheep, fulfilling your “general biosecurity duty” might mean things like reporting suspect cases, preventing spread, and taking steps to eradicate the disease if it does turn up in your flock. Having a farm biosecurity plan is one way that all producers can show that they have fulfilled their “general biosecurity duty”.

You can probably see that in today’s world, biosecurity plans are here to stay.  And, as a livestock vet, I can see a lot of value in this. Although it sounds like just more paperwork, developing a biosecurity plan is a really valuable process, and shouldn’t be too onerous. Good biosecurity is about preventing disease or pest issues before they occur. Good biosecurity could save you big dollars (and big headaches) in the future.

There are a few things I’d encourage you to keep in mind as you develop a biosecurity plan.

First, remember that as a livestock producer you’ve already got a biosecurity plan – it’s just in your head, not on paper. “Biosecurity” is something you think about every day, even if you don’t call it that.  If you think about where you buy stock from… you’re thinking about biosecurity. If you control feral animals… you’re thinking about biosecurity.  If you think about the risks of weeds or animal diseases getting onto your property… you’re already thinking about biosecurity.

Second, remember that a biosecurity plan isn’t about proving you do everything perfectly. 

Nobody can remove biosecurity risk 100%. 

A plan is just about identifying risks, and then thinking through what actions you can take to minimise risk. In some cases you might identify a risk but decide there’s not a lot you can practically do to minimise it. That’s fine. If you’re using a template (there are some good ones available), remember that you don’t need to tick “yes” to every action. Some will apply on your place, some may not.

Last, remember that a biosecurity plan will be most valuable if you actually use it! 

There’s no requirement to lodge or submit your plan anywhere, and there’ll be no database storing plans. You just need to have a copy available if a buyer or LPA auditor asks to see it. 

That said, a biosecurity plan left to gather dust won’t do you much good. Instead, use the opportunity to have a fresh look at ways you can actively prevent disease or pest issues at your place.