The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) welcomes the announcement today, by Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, of a new Commonwealth biosecurity taskforce to be established, ensuring Australia is fully prepared to respond swiftly to growing biosecurity threats.
The Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Taskforce will bring together officials from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Emergency Management Australia (EMA), Australian Defence Force, Australian Border Force and Animal Health Australia.
“Any improvements in our biosecurity surveillance and management are always welcome,” said AMIC CEO Patrick Hutchinson.
“We need to continue to base all decisions, investment, and resource allocation on the known risk factors, be they high, medium or low.”
AMIC continues to also advocate for a strengthened relationship in FMD management in Indonesia itself.
“The more vaccinations Indonesia can achieve, will ensure that the rate of virus incursion slows, and therefore the risk rate of human interaction with the virus, and in turn the risk of it being brought to Australia by humans, will also be lowered,” said Mr Hutchinson.
ENDS
About
The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC), is the sole Peak Industry body representing the post-farm gate meat industry, including processors, smallgoods manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors through to independent retail butchers and exporters.
Media contact
Catharine Heffernan, General Manager – Communications | M: 0437 196 882 | E: [email protected]
