Farm biosecurity

Farm Biosecurity and integrated pest management (IPM) are consistent in their goals of protecting crop health, often using a whole farm approach to good crop management. Many biosecurity risk mitigation strategies are synonymous with IPM preventative strategies and both rely on planning.

This is particularly true for residential pests where there may be few chemical solutions available and their permanency within the farming system requires multiple long-term strategies to limit their movement, spread and subsequent potential damage.

Farm biosecurity refers to a set of management practices and activities designed to prevent, minimise and control the introduction and spread of plant pests onto a property. These pests may be exotic to Australia, may be established in limited areas, or may be widely distributed and can spread from farm to farm.

Biosecurity has a greater focus on practices that ideally exclude a pest from a property or limit its spread and establishment. Integrated pest management primarily involves strategically using the different practices to control a pest that is already present in a cropping system or is an imminent threat.

National Grains Farm Biosecurity Program

The Grains Farm Biosecurity Program is a national initiative to improve the management of, and preparedness for, biosecurity risks in the grains industry at farm and industry levels. The program, managed by Plant Health Australia (PHA) and funded by growers through Grain Producers Australia and state organisations, employs Grains Biosecurity Officers in each state who are dedicated to supporting the grains industry in improving biosecurity.

The Farm Biosecurity Manual for the Grains Industry provides comprehensive details on areas of risk and guidance on implementing biosecurity best practice to mitigate these risks at the farm level.

For other biosecurity best practice fact sheets and publications for grain growers, agronomists and consultants, researchers and contractors visit the Farm Biosecurity website.

On-farm biosecurity programs are also often referred to as’ Come Clean Go Clean’.