Whether it is cases of foot and mouth disease in livestock or brown marmorated stink bug, biosecurity measures are crucial in preserving Australia’s lucrative livestock sector
Biosecurity is crucial to protect Australia’s environment as well as its lucrative farming sector.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) notes the 2007 equine influenza (horse flu) outbreak in Australia as “a timely reminder of why biosecurity is both beneficial and necessary”.
The horse flu outbreak was brought under control via a nationwide eradication program. While it was successful, the cost was high, a bill of around $1 billion.
More recently, the topic of biosecurity made national news after the Australian government agreed to reduce restrictions on imported US beef.
The US says that is fair play but others have concerns about any compromising of standards.
Manager of border security for the International Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of Australia (IFCBAA), Brad Leonard, keeps a close eye on industry trends and says cases of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Europe highlight the need for vigilance.
He says even small cases, such as the foot and mouth outbreak in Germany earlier this year involving 14 water buffaloes on a small farm could significantly impact trade.
“Such a small outbreak had massive repercussions,” Mr Leonard says.
“Then Hungary notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) of the detection of FMD at a dairy farm in Kisbajcs near the border with Slovakia. This was the first detection of FMD in Hungary since 1973.”
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has since restored Germany’s FMD-free status.
Closer to home, FMD is still present in Indonesia. A severe outbreak was recorded in 2022 with around 12,000 cases a day reported, a number which is currently down to around 25 a day.
“Australia has successfully kept FMD out of the country for more than 130 years, but FMD has shown its ability to establish and spread internationally,” Mr Leonard says.
Misinformation can severely impact trade relations, so caution is required. What would help is an official notice that can be shared with our members' clients and by extension their overseas suppliers.
Brad Leonard, IFCBAA manager of border security
FMD virus is most likely to be introduced via contaminated, illegally imported animal products or through objects (e.g. footwear) contaminated with the virus.
An outbreak in Australia could have devastating consequences for our community in lost production, trade and tourism.
An ABARES (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences) report in 2022 found a large outbreak in multiple states would now have a direct economic impact of around $80 billion in 2020-21 dollars.
Mr Leonard says DAFF needs to provide clarity on the facts from overseas before publicly declaring a country as suffering from incursions of particular diseases as there are governmental trade implications at play.
“Misinformation can severely impact trade relations, so caution is required.
“What would help is an official notice that can be shared with our members' clients and by extension their overseas suppliers, as the first question that is asked is ‘What about my shipments on the water, will they be affected?’ Mr Leonard says.
“Secondly, should I ship those orders that are at the destination port or hold onto them until further notice?”
Also posing a risk is lumpy skin disease (LSD), recent cases of which have been reported in Sardinia, Italy and France, the first occurrence of the disease in these countries. LSD is a highly contagious vector-borne viral disease that primarily affects cattle, water buffaloes and certain wild ruminants.
Australia has in recent years provided Indonesia with LSD vaccines in order to bring an outbreak there under control.
Authorities are on the lookout for bird flu, more properly known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
A specific strain of concern is H5N1, which has caused significant outbreaks in birds and is currently spreading globally.
H5 bird flu has spread quickly across the world through the movement of wild birds.
Several human infections of the H5 bird flu strain of concern have been reported overseas. These can occur through close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.
Australia is currently the only continent without the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.
Although not exactly the same, outbreaks of the H7 bird flu strain were declared in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in 2024 and early 2025, contributing to an egg shortage.
Overseas, other animals have become infected by this strain of H5 bird flu. These were mainly marine mammals and bird-eating scavengers but cases have been detected in dairy cattle, cats, goats, alpacas and pigs.
Another disease of concern is African swine fever (ASF), a viral disease of domestic and wild pigs that has spread throughout the world since 2007. Affected countries in Australia’s neighbourhood include Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea.
There is no registered vaccine for ASF and the disease kills about 80% of the pigs it infects.
“ASF has never occurred in Australia,” DAFF states. “Its changing distribution means it is a significant biosecurity threat to our country. An outbreak would be devastating for our pig industry and also damage our trade and the economy.”
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is running a program called STEPS, the Simplified Targeting and Enhanced Processing Systems (STEPS).
This is a three-year, $145 million program of work running from 2023 until 2026, with the aim of simplifying biosecurity import processes and making it easier to comply, modernising and increasing digitisation and data sharing.
Delivered so far under STEPS:
Source: DAFF and DCN archives.
Australian ports imported around 97.6 million tonnes of goods in 2024, as reported in the Ports Australia State of Trade report. According to the Port of Melbourne, container trade is projected to more than double over the next 30 years, driven by strong economic and population growth in Victoria and southeastern Australia.
Combined with the surging demand for e-commerce, this growth places increasing pressure on Australia’s customs and biosecurity agencies to streamline border intervention and assessment models. Relying on human resources alone is insufficient to manage the steep rise in import volumes.
The Simplified Targeting and Enhanced Processing Systems (STEPS) program has been introduced to modernise and digitise DAFF services while simplifying biosecurity import processes. Its objectives include:
Mr Leonard says improved cargo visibility and expanded self-service options were significant for freight forwarders, customs brokers and their clients.
“These enhancements reflect a deliberate shift towards outsourcing and industry self-service models, where licensed customs brokers and other approved arrangements are entrusted to perform biosecurity functions once limited to government officers,” he says.
“This is evident in the expansion of Automatic Entry Processing for Commodities (AEPCOMM), which empowers accredited persons to assess commodity documentation and manage biosecurity risks for approved commodities.”
Recent STEPS initiatives are said to reinforce this trend towards greater industry-led functions, including:
Price and Speed is an Australian business near Port Botany that operates an authorised facility for commercial operations and biosecurity activities.
Senior fumigator Josh Corbet says the biosecurity and fumigation sectors are experiencing “significant shifts” driven by a combination of emerging technologies, evolving regulatory landscapes and evolving risks.
He says that as international trade grows, the movement of goods and people increases the risk of pest and disease spread.
“This has made biosecurity more important than ever,” he says.
Mr Corbet notes the trend towards stricter regulations and standards around invasive pests and diseases being implemented by DAFF, with the amended ABF and biosecurity licence being “just the start”.
“Environmental regulations are tightening, pushing companies to adopt eco-friendly solutions to treatment options,” he says.
Mr Corbet says there’s growing demand for sustainable and non-toxic fumigation methods, driven by both regulations and consumer preference for eco-friendly products.
“The push for alternatives to traditional chemical fumigants like methyl bromide is growing, with an emphasis on safe and environmentally friendly practices,” he says.
“There’s a strong pivot towards non-chemical alternatives like heat treatment, Ethyl Formate etc that are less harmful to the environment.”
Meanwhile DAFF is increasing biosecurity operations to detect pests, diseases and contamination, reducing human error and increasing efficiency.
Mr Corbet notes the increasing role of new technology, including the use of remote diagnostics in peak times and the ability to upload data from their operating system to the BIERS system allowing fumigators to record and report records of fumigation to the department electronically using phones and tablets.
“This means the fumigators are entering the data live in the field, then sending the final record of fumigation to the department without having to come into the office,” he says.
Mr Corbet says there are opportunities for businesses prepared to innovate. Examples include:
Conversely, the sector also faces challenges including:
Mr Corbet says stronger environmental regulations are one factor likely to influence the market in the year ahead.
“With governments focusing more on sustainability, I can see businesses constantly having to comply with stricter regulations regarding the environmental impact of fumigation,” he says.
“This might push companies towards using less harmful treatment options.”
Mr Corbet says the biosecurity and fumigation sector “is at an exciting crossroads”.
“Technology, sustainability are all playing a role in transforming the sector. Companies that can embrace technological advancements, comply with stringent regulations and offer eco-friendly solutions will likely see significant growth,” he says.
“Additionally, fostering collaboration within the industry, whether with governments, researchers or technology providers, will be key to overcoming challenges and seizing new opportunities.”
This article appeared in the August | September edition of DCN Magazine