Information for farm visitors and service providers

Good biosecurity is paramount for protecting our economy, environment and community from the negative impacts of pests and diseases.

There are several risk factors that are contributing to an increased threat of a biosecurity incursion in Victoria and Australia.

State, federal and local governments, livestock producers and other supply chain participants including livestock agents, transporters and contractors all share responsibilities in minimising biosecurity risks and impacts to the industry.

To reduce the risk of these diseases entering Australia, and to be prepared for an outbreak, Agriculture Victoria is raising awareness and understanding of the threat of exotic animal diseases, preparing our industries, and supporting our farm businesses and service providers in actions they can take now.

The below resources provide service providers with up-to-date key information and provide with resources to assists your clients in being prepared for emergency animal disease events.

Emergency Animal Diseases

Biosecurity hygiene

Come Clean, Stay Clean, Go Clean – when visiting farms

On-farm biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility, including the property owner, visitors and workers.

This web page provides information about how to visit a farm safely, keep vehicles, clothing and equipment clean and identify signs of disease.

Come clean: planning the visit

When planning to visit a farming property:

• Check with the property owner before arriving to learn about any specific biosecurity requirements or potential issues.
• Gain additional information about the visit, for example where stock are located, how many, etc.
• Wash and disinfect your boots/shoes when arriving at the property.
• Where practical, arrange to meet at the house or on a sealed/gravel area away from livestock.

Stay clean: entering the property

Best-practice procedures to consider when entering a farming property:

• Park in a designated area or choose a safe, clean area outside of the high-risk production zone.

• Preferably, leave your vehicle at the front gate of the property and have the land/livestock owner pick you up in a farm vehicle.
• Sign the visitor record book.
• Record the time of entry and exit onto the farm, the farm location, the owner’s name, and their telephone number in your diary.
• If you are handling livestock, ensure you put on clean protective clothing.

Go clean: leaving the property

Best practice procedures when exiting a property:

• Vehicles, machinery and quad bikes can all transport pests, diseases and weeds from paddock to paddock, or farm to farm. Any vehicle used on a farm should be thoroughly cleaned using a high-pressure wash and detergent.
• Wash and disinfect your boots/shoes when leaving the property.
• Remove protective clothing and place it in a designated bag for used clothing.
• Wash and disinfect your hands.

Steps for cleaning your footwear

Dirty boots can carry diseases, pests and weeds. A simple way to minimise this biosecurity risk is to ensure all footwear is thoroughly disinfected when entering and exiting farming properties.

To set up a footbath station you will need:

• A flat surface. Set up the footbath on a flat surface outside any animal enclosures and where animals, including pets, cannot drink from it.
• A tarpaulin (if footbaths are to be placed on a dirt surface).
• Heavy-duty scrubbing brushes and scraping tools such as a horse hoof-pick or a screwdriver and at least two heavy-duty plastic containers.
• Two containers big enough to fit a large boot.
  • Fill the first plastic container with clean water for washing off any soil and plant material prior to the decontamination process. You can add some soap or detergent.
  • Fill the second footbath with a cleaning agent/detergent. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, particularly regarding the right concentration for the soiling/organic matter present.

• Drying material - something clean, porous and non-slip, such as hessian bags, rubber mats or towels. Lay drying material next to each of the clean water and decontamination footbaths.

Step one: Clean

Use a strong bristled brush or sharp tool to remove all visible debris. Footwear should be free of dirt, mud, manure and plant material before using the footbath. Organic matter can quickly contaminate the water and prevent the disinfectant from killing germs, so the boots or shoes need to be fairly clean before you wash and disinfect.

Step two: Wash

Submerge your footwear so the liquid saturates all parts of it. If shoes were very dirty to begin with, use the scrubbing brush while standing in this solution to thoroughly clean the soles of the shoe. Step out of the first container onto the drying material.

Step three: Disinfect

The second footbath should contain disinfecting products. When using any chemical, care should be taken to determine the safety of disinfectants prior to using them near your livestock, and always follow the labelled instructions. Rinse shoes after disinfection to prevent damage.

Refer to the AUSVETPLAN Decontamination Manual on the Animal Health Australia website by visiting animalhealthaustralia.com.au and enter the search words “Informing EAD Responses”.

Contents for your biosecurity kit

The contents of a biosecurity kit will vary from farm to farm but all kits should include items for cleaning hands, shoes, small equipment and vehicle interiors. It is important the biosecurity kit is fully stocked at all times.

Create a toolkit specific to your farm by visiting the Create you create your own biosecurity kit page on the farm biosecurity website.

eLearning

Biosecurity planning workshops

Agriculture Victoria hosts On-farm biosecurity planning workshops across the state. Participants walk away from the workshops with their farm biosecurity plan in-hand. View the range of new biosecurity courses, find an event near you or access biosecurity plan templates at agriculture.vic.gov.au/ead.

For general enquiries and information on emergency animal diseases, send your questions to ead.engagement@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Biosecurity planning

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