The body will step up preparations for an outbreak and consider how it would affect industries beyond agriculture,including tourism.
The return of the Melbourne Royal Show after a two-year pandemic-enforced break is being overshadowed by the threat of foot and mouth disease and soaring prices,with some rides set to top $25 and showbags costing up to $32.
The livestock disease made its way to the island and took off across Indonesia over the past two months,threatening to infiltrate Australia to devastating effect.
Many farmers have built up their herds of cattle for decades. All this could be lost if there is a foot and mouth disease outbreak in Australia.
Australia’s chances of keeping foot and mouth disease out of the country are close to zero if the behaviour of young Aussies at Denpasar airport is anything to go by.
The government has announced stringent new biosecurity measures as it attempts to avert a disastrous local outbreak of the virus.
Anthony Albanese has pushed back against shutting the border with Indonesia amid fears over foot and mouth disease entering Australia,a stance backed by farmers,business groups and former diplomats.
Bill Sykes still recalls the widespread slaughter of livestock in the UK during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak. He never wants to see such carnage again.
The federal government is insisting it is rolling out biosecurity measures at airports “as quickly as possible”. But returning passengers say they face little scrutiny.
Farmers are taking major action to defend against a potential foot and mouth outbreak in Australia,including preparing genetic banks to one day repopulate their farms using IVF.
After the federal government announced the toughest biosecurity rules ever introduced at Australian airports,holidaymakers arriving at Melbourne from Denpasar on Saturday reported little scrutiny.