Agriculture Victoria has announced $13.78 million in grants through the 2026 Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program to strengthen Victoria’s biosecurity system and help protect livestock industries from pests and diseases.
The program will support 36 projects across the state, investing in practical initiatives that improve livestock health, strengthen biosecurity preparedness and support industry resilience.
Agriculture Victoria Chief Executive Officer Beth Jones said the grants reflect the important role industry-led projects play in protecting Victoria’s livestock industries.
‘Victoria’s strong biosecurity system depends on ongoing investment in research, innovation and preparedness across the livestock sector,’ Ms Jones said.
‘These projects will help strengthen our ability to prevent, detect and respond to pests and diseases while delivering practical benefits for producers and industry.’
Among the successful projects is the Victorian Apiary Resilience and Development (VARD) Project, which will deliver a 12-month initiative to strengthen commercial beekeeper resilience and improve honeybee health and productivity against biosecurity threats such as American Foulbrood and varroa mite.
The University of Melbourne will develop a piglet coccidiosis project to generate the first Victorian evidence base across swine production systems, supporting improved piglet gut health and production outcomes.
The Victorian Farmers Federation will develop Australia’s first accredited Farm Access Credential, a short online course designed to prepare non-agricultural workers to access Victorian farmland safely and responsibly.
Funding will also support improvements to Victoria’s truck wash infrastructure and effluent disposal through a Regional Truck Wash Upgrade Grants Program, which is currently under development. The program will contribute to expanding and upgrading Victoria’s regional truck wash network to improve capacity, accessibility, performance, safety and amenity.
Ms Jones said the diversity of successful projects demonstrated the breadth of opportunities to strengthen biosecurity across Victoria’s livestock industries.
‘From improving honeybee health and strengthening farm access practices to supporting livestock transport infrastructure and animal health research, these projects will make an important contribution to Victoria’s biosecurity future.’
The 2026 Livestock Biosecurity Funds grant round was highly competitive, with applications assessed by the relevant livestock advisory committees for cattle, sheep and goats, swine and honeybees.
The Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program is funded through duties generated by the sale of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and their carcasses in Victoria, and through beekeeper registration fees.
