VICTORIA’S peak farmer body has called for bipartisan political support to upgrade the state’s truck wash capability, claiming the current network is ‘a biosecurity disaster ticking timebomb.’

The Victorian Farmers Federation said enormous holes in Victoria’s critical truck wash network are leaving the state vulnerable to the potentially devastating impacts of livestock diseases, such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever.

The Victorian Government’s Stage 2 Truck Wash Review has found closures to truck wash facilities in Geelong, Warrnambool, Camperdown and Pakenham have decimated the network.

The review also identified the geographical areas of Victoria where there is a gap in coverage and unmet demand for a truck washing facility. These were identified as outer Melbourne west as far as Geelong; outer Melbourne east as far as Warragul, and; north-east Victoria near Yea.

The truck wash review report said there was a strong evidence base for government and industry to support investment in improvements to the livestock truck wash network in Victoria.

“Further investment in infrastructure would improve service quality and capacity, environmental compliance, and reduce biosecurity risks to the cattle, sheep, goat and pig industries.

“There is also a clear need for investment in many regional truck washes to ensure that they continue to meet industry expectations, and government biosecurity, workplace health and safety and environmental requirements,” the report said.

Ahead of Victoria’s November election, the VFF is seeking:

New truck washes in western, northern and eastern Melbourne;

Funding to upgrade council and private washes across Victoria;

New effluent dump points on key routes into Melbourne and near our state borders.

Bipartisan support needed to avoid ‘biosecurity timebomb’

VFF Livestock president Scott Young is calling on all sides of politics to commit to fixing the network head of this year’s Victorian election.

“If these diseases got into Australia and spread, the latest modelling says it could cost the industry more than $80 billion.”

“Truck washes are critical to detecting disease and also ensuring a rapid response to help stop any spread,” he said.

“This really is a biosecurity disaster ticking timebomb waiting to happen and we’re calling on all sides of politics to commit to a plan to urgently fix it,” Mr Young said.

The government’s review found that in outer western Melbourne, where around 1900 livestock loads a month are delivered to abattoirs, the nearest working truck wash can be up to 140km away. It warned that dirty trucks are one of the quickest ways to spread an exotic disease, and that the gaps would cripple any effort to get stock moving again during an outbreak.

It also found trailer effluent tanks can overflow within an hour of loading, that only Horsham has a dedicated dump point which increases the risk of a biosecurity outbreak.

“If we get just one case of foot-and-mouth disease, Victoria’s livestock industry would come to a shuddering halt.”

“When you look at it, $8 million for a truck wash and $200,000 for a dump point is the cheapest insurance policy in the country,” Mr Young said.

“The VFF urges the government to work with the industry to find a pathway forward.”

“Farmers understand this infrastructure is critical and there is a clear and present danger if these networks aren’t upgraded. Government must work with industry to find a pathway forward where industry and government are working together.”

“It’s a case of investing now in the right places to ensure should the worst happen, we are well-prepared and have what we need to protect our multi-billion industry,” Mr Young said.

Source – VFF.