Biosecurity on agenda

The Department of Agriculture and Food is encouraging grower groups to lead farm biosecurity education to safeguard the grains industry from potential production losses.

Plant pests and diseases, such as Russian wheat aphid or barley stripe rust, could cost the grains industry many millions of dollars in lost production or access to markets if they became established.

Fortunately, these pests do not exist in WA.

DAFWA grains biosecurity officer Jeff Russell said it was important for Government, industry and the community to work together to manage biosecurity risks.

"Grower groups are encouraged to develop practical management strategies, such as sign-in registers for field days and site entry and exit protocols, to help minimise pest and disease risks in the industry," he said.

"It is important for all industry members to be aware of the possible threats to their industry, and measures that could be taken to minimise them.

"Placement of farm biosecurity signage at property entry points to research trials is one way to do this.

"The farm biosecurity signs, available through the DAFWA Grains Biosecurity Project, thanks to funding from Plant Health Australia, alert the visitor to seek permission from the owner before entering the property.

"This is a practical way to enable the owner to keep a record of who has been on their property, should an issue arise."

West Midlands Group is doing just this, having placed signs at 12 of its research trial sites located in the Dandaragan, Badgingarra and Warradarge areas.

WMG executive officer Anne Wilkins said the signs were an imperative to manage people movement and activities on the trial sites.

"Growers are volunteering their land for this research, so it is part of the WMG's duty of care to ensure potential risks to them are minimised as best as possible," she said.

"It also assists to set an industry standard and is a mark of respect to those property owners who have 'loaned' land for both the benefit of the group, those involved in the research and the industry as a whole."

Ms Wilkins said to minimise the impact on property owners, WMG had appointed research and development co-ordinator Chris Wilkins as the contact for entry to all trial sites, not just the ones which now displayed the farm biosecurity signage.

"This ensures a co-ordinated effort to enable a register of visitors to be kept and the same entry and exit protocols to be maintained for all sites," she said.