The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Agriculture Victoria have been working together on biosecurity or animal welfare emergencies for a number of years and have now signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) renewing their partnership.
DPI’s Deputy Director General of Biosecurity and Food Safety, Bruce Christie said the MoU is incredibly important to ensuring good biosecurity, animal welfare and agricultural outcomes for NSW and Victoria.
“DPI and Agriculture Victoria have coordinated eradication programs for invasive plants such as hawkweeds,” Dr Christie said.
“More recently we have been collaborating with Victoria on African Swine Fever preparedness. Our discussions have included resource and knowledge sharing opportunities and how we will manage if there is an outbreak of African Swine Fever.
“This agreement supports the two-way sharing of resources between NSW and Victoria during significant biosecurity and related incidents and in the planning for agricultural emergency responses.
“It provides a collaborative framework on topics including reporting, surveillance, compliance, logistics, planning, evaluation and more, and means greater collaboration in responses to these types of incidents.
“Thanks to this MoU, if an outbreak of African Swine Fever does occur we will work jointly to minimise the impact to movements of pigs across the border.
“The NSW Government isn’t waiting for emergencies, rather being prepared, proactive and collaborative.”
The MoU for cross-border Biosecurity, Animal Welfare and Emergency Management is in addition to existing national or other bi-lateral agreements for mutual assistance or resource sharing.
