With foot and mouth disease fragments recently detected in imported meat in Melbourne, it is a timely reminder that biosecurity is everyone’s concern.
Our livestock industry is the backbone of our region, and the importance of our cattle and sheep farmers here can not be overstated.
Contributing almost $4.6 billion to South Australia, and employing thousands of locals, the cattle and sheep industries help to keep the Limestone Coast ticking.
Local councils, quite rightly, are deeply concerned about the threat of this disease to the regions, and have called on local, state and federal governments to step up and do what they can to ensure the disease stays out of Australia.
As school holiday travellers return to SA, biosecurity measures at airports need to tightened up, and travel to areas with the disease restricted.
Additionally, travellers need to ensure they are abiding by biosecurity measures, and being as honest as possible about their travel movements.
Let’s support our locals by ensuring we are doing everything possible to keep this disease out of local farms, and out of Australia.
When our farmers do well, we all do well, so we all need to do our part to protect the livestock industry in the South-East.