LIVESTOCK biosecurity grants worth $9.5 million have been granted to 25 projects by the Victorian Government.

Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes last week announced the successful projects under the 2020 Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program, which aims to further strengthen the state’s biosecurity and to prevent and manage pests and diseases.

Ms Symes said biosecurity is fundamental to the wellbeing and prosperity of our agricultural sector.

“Exotic pests and diseases can threaten this – so we need to be proactive in identifying and responding to potential breaches.”

“We have a track record in Victoria in identifying and managing biosecurity risks, but we are always facing new threats. This funding helps industry meet those emerging challenges,” she said.

The government said the grants fund projects that provide innovative solutions, use emerging technologies and tackle livestock biosecurity issues, needs or gaps for the industries. The grants are administered from the four livestock compensation funds – cattle, sheep and goat, swine and honeybee industries.

Projects funded by the grants include the Victorian Farmers Federation’s producer-led biosecurity extension program and the Australian Livestock Saleyards’ Association’s ‘Managing Transit Stock in Saleyards’ project.

Also funded was the state’s National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) (Sheep and Goat) tag subsidy scheme and distribution of Agriculture Victoria’s SheepNotes.

Other government projects funded included the continuation of the National Livestock Identification System for sheep and cattle, significant disease investigation programs, animal disease investigation courses and abattoir-based pig health surveillance and prevention of anthrax.

Grant recipients included La Trobe University, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Agrinous, the Victorian Apiarists’ Association and the Victorian Recreational Beekeepers Association.

The Victorian Government said changes to legislation last year through the Primary Industries Legislation Amendment Act 2019 has meant more money is now available for programs administered from 2020. For more information on the latest biosecurity grant projects click here.