Biosecurity boost for Australian grains

A new biosecurity initiative backed by a $42.7 million kitty will bolster the nation’s ability to detect exotic pests and diseases that threaten Australia’s $31 billion grains industry.

Unveiled at Grains Research and Development Corporation’s grains research update in Perth on Monday, the national grains diagnostic and surveillance initiative will enable pest identification in the field to speed up response times.

As part of the package, 20 new biosecurity jobs will be created and surveillance of pests overseas will be increased.

GRDC chairman John Woods said the potential cost to growers of crop damage from exotic pests was north of $100 million a year.

“Timeliness of detection and response are critical and can be the difference between cost-effective control or the devastation of an industry,” he said.

“We need to equip growers – and other key people – with the tools for fast, accurate diagnostics to enable timely management decisions that reduce the impact of these threats to the grains industry.”

The initiative has been funded by the GRDC and state governments in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and NSW to run for six years.

Mr Woods said of 54 identified exotic pests in Australia, just 10 per cent had national diagnostic tools available.

“If there is a rust that's getting awfully close to us, we need to know,” he said.

“If there's something in Indonesia that is an exotic pest of some nature, an insect of some nature, we need to know.

“We need to surveil out there and then have the opportunity here to make sure that we can actually identify as close to port or as close to field as possible.”