Beat the bugs with Biosecurity

 

Biosecurity is like a shield of protection for the farm

Prevention is better than Solution

Protect our Environment & Economy

As part of The Archibull Prize in 2015 our team has investigated Biosecurity and how we can protect our sheep and wool from the nasty pests and diseases.

We discovered that ‘Biosecurity is a Shared Responsibility’ and is relevant to everyone who owns or works with animals.

This is not limited to livestock and poultry, in fact simple biosecurity measures can protect your pet bird, dog or other family pet from pests and disease. As some animal diseases are zoonotic; meaning they can also affect us — biosecurity can also protect you. Biosecurity measures help protect our economy, environment and people’s health from pests and disease.

As Australia does not have nasty diseases like Foot and Mouth disease it is very important that we all work together to ensure none of us bring it into the country accidently

We learnt that food; plant material and animal products from overseas – including many common souvenirs – can introduce some of the world’s most serious pests and diseases into Australia, devastating our valuable agriculture and tourism industries and unique environment.

We have all watched episodes of “Border petrol” on the TV. We see food and plant materials being bought into our country all the time – these food and plant materials put Australia’s Biosecurity at risk, because we don’t know where they have come from. Awareness and knowledge is one of the first steps. When you know better; you can do better.

IF IT’S BANNED LEAVE IT OVERSEAS

On the Farm Biosecurity – What does it look like?

On farm the biosecurity goals for Sheep and Wool Producers are:

• To prevent the introduction of infectious diseases to grazing livestock production properties
• To prevent the spread of diseases from an infected property to an uninfected property

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease – Biosecurity in Australia                             06/10/2015

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious animal disease that would have severe consequences were it to be introduced into Australia. There have been a number of outbreaks in FMD-free countries that have had large socio-economic impacts. The 2001 outbreak in the United Kingdom caused losses of more than 8 billion pounds (approximately $AUD 19 billion).

We have all witnessed the recent outbreaks of this devastating disease in countries oversea. We as Australians can learn from their mistakes and protect our environment, economy and animals and most importantly our future.

More recently, outbreaks have continued to be seen in free countries. FMD occurred again in the United Kingdom in 2007, while Taiwan ROC reported several outbreaks beginning in February 2009. In 2010 both Japan and the Republic of Korea experienced large FMD outbreaks which required extensive programs to control. The 2010–11 Korean outbreak is estimated to have cost the government some 3 trillion won (about $US 2.7 billion).

Australia estimates that a small FMD outbreak, controlled in 3 months, could cost around $AUD 7.1 billion, while a large 12 month outbreak would cost $AUD 16 billion.

To manage the risk, both government and industry engage in significant prevention, planning and preparedness. Beyond its borders, Australia has invested heavily in building the capacity of countries in the region to combat diseases, including support for the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) Southeast Asia and China FMD Campaign (SEACFMD). This project involves the coordinated control of FMD by eleven countries in the Southeast Asia region. However, FMD remains endemic in most of these eleven countries. Australia also maintains a strong biosecurity program at the border to manage FMD risks, and also undertakes extensive planning and preparedness activities to ensure that should an incursion occur, the disease can be contained and controlled as quickly as possible.

To understand this, you could compare an animal infected with Hand, Foot & Mouth disease to a person who is infected with the flu. When we have the flu, we stay home from school; we are isolated from our friends and teachers so we don’t make them sick as well. That is one way of controlling the spread of infection.

The Australian Government, through the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is continuing its efforts to ensure that Australia is well-prepared to manage the disease, and in 2011 sought the advice of Mr Ken Matthews AO to provide a qualitative assessment of Australia’s readiness to respond to the threat of FMD.

It is always better to prevent the risk of disease in the first place; however if there is an outbreak Australian are ready to respond and get on top of it as quickly as possible.

Source: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/fmd

The Environment, Sustainability & Biosecurity in the Australian Agricultural Industries with MLA & Target 100

The Australian agricultural industries as a whole make an important contribution to sustainability—environmental, economic and social improvements and managing biosecurity matters.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) invest up to $7 million per year supporting environmental sustainability as well as animal health, welfare & biosecurity to aid farmers in reducing emissions, water use and managing the land. It is important not only for the environment but also for our farmers and their animals that grow a premium product which is exported all over the world. MLA’s investments return productivity benefits for producers, health benefits for animals and ensure community expectations of the highest possible animal welfare standards are met. Best practice in regards to animal welfare, health and biosecurity are critical considerations at all stages of the livestock production chain. Each impacts on farm productivity and farmer’s social license to operate. As a result, MLA’s extensive portfolio of animal health, welfare & biosecurity research and development has been used to produce best practice guidelines for cattle, sheep and goat enterprises.

The Australian wool industry, through MLA and in collaboration with the Australian Government, invests up to $5 million annually in research and development to support growth and understanding of the importance of grazing and pasture management. The focus of grazing & pasture management R&D includes areas such as; plant breeding and pre-breeding technologies; pasture variety trials; new forages for production and resource management benefits; pasture management to improve forage quality; Incorporating new forages into management systems and lastly, grazing system design. This is one with the aim to increase production by 2.5% per hectare/year, without decline in sustainability indicators.

In Australia, animals are mostly grazed on large areas of semi-arid and arid rangelands. This method of production is unique to Australia and means that overseas figures and data on environmental impact are not applicable to our industry. Our unique production systems and commitment to continuous improvement have led to Australian producers being recognised around the world as leaders in producing some of the highest quality products, while also leading the way in environmentally sustainable farming practices, while keeping in mind the focus on animal health, welfare and biosecurity.

Australian farmers understand that protecting and improving the natural world is vital to the long-term sustainability of their business, while also reducing the impact of global warming and climate change.

Across the country, many livestock farmers are managing weeds, pests and feral animals; helping maintain biodiversity; and reducing the risk of biosecurity outbreaks. They’re also improving water management efficiency in their grazing systems by maintaining healthy soils with adequate nutrients, minimising runoff through vegetation management, and monitoring the frequency and intensity of grazing. In doing so, Australia’s farmers are balancing the needs of the grazing animal, the pasture, the environment and biosecurity risks.

As custodians of 61% of Australia’s landmass, farmers recognise their responsibility to the environment all inclusive. Every step of the way, from paddock to plate or fibre to fashion, they make it a priority to continuously improve environmental management, increase sustainability and manage and prevent biosecurity risk. We’re extremely proud of the high-quality produce they provide and we’re equally proud of the conscious and successful effort we put toward environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Target 100 is an initiative by Australian cattle and sheep farmers, processors and the broader agricultural industry to proactively deliver sustainable cattle and sheep farming by 2020. It outlines 100 research, development and extension initiatives funded through industry bodies to continually improve sustainability and the impact of farming on the Australian environment. Target 100 has a commitment to take positive action, both big and small, to continually improve the way farmers operate and improve sustainability throughout the Australian agricultural supply chain. Apart from harnessing the latest technology and science to reduce carbon footprints, it’s also about sharing good ideas, celebrating successes and providing a focal point for environmental, social and ethical farming action to ensure a sustainable food and produce source. Australian farmers are caretakers of the land and are leading the way globally and are committed to leaving it in better shape than when they found it.

To learn more about Target 100 initatives you can click here

Buying local supports Aussie farmers while also preventing breaches in Biosecurity!

Australia has extremely high Biosecurity measures preventing disease, pest and weed outbreaks on farms. Australian farmers also keep the health and welfare of their livestock in check.

The risk when you don’t support and purchase Australian grown and made products is simply too high…..the cheaper alternative for you, could devastate the Australian farming and agricultural economy….the price is simply too high!

Support our farmers and protect our environment and economy at the same time.

So many things we now know because of our Archibull lessons!!!

We have put together a short summary of some of the things we have learnt about through our Archibull journey in 2015. Farming in Australia is about a lot more than we first thought. There are quite a lot of factors that must work all together for the Australian agriticultural industry to thrive to the high standard it does. We have listed them below;

As a group we never really considered all it takes to be a farmer in Australia before our Archibull studies this year. After learning about the Australian wool industry, our class came to the conclusion that maybe we take farmers and farming for granted. How many of us really think about or knew how far the clothes we wear have actually travelled? And how many people were involved in the processes to get the wool from the sheep’s back and on to ours?

High on the list of things we have learnt about is Biosecurity; which is all the measures it takes to make sure Australian farms and produce are free from contamination, disease, pest and weed outbreaks. We have learnt that Biosecurity doesn’t just impact on the farmers, it affects all of us. Biosecurity is everybody’s responsibility – we should not take it for granted. We must all do the very best we can to protect our agricultural industries.

The environment is the most important because without a healthy environment their livelihood is a risk. Australian farmers are always looking for new ways for best farming practice, which lessen the negative impacts on the environment.

Our livestock and wool growers have been finding new and better ways to live in harmony with their environment. During 2015, as a class we have studied the farming practices of our Young Farming Champion from Burragan Bessie Thomas and Nan Bray from Tasmania’s White Gum Wool.

Through feeding their sheep on native vegetation farmers are able to cut costs relating to food, increase productivity and be kinder to the Australian environment. It has been discovered that sheep are able to regulate and monitor their own health and well-being by using the native plants as medicine as they need it.

Soil and Vegetation

The whole ecosystem keeps soil and grass and tree healthy and keeps weeds away. Without the ecosystem animals would not have a home, shade or food.

Who are the biggest wasters of food?

Young consumers (18-24).
Households with incomes of more than $100,000 per year.
Families with children.
The hidden impact of wasting food!

When you throw out food you also waste the water, it took to get the food from the paddock to your plate. On estimated 20-40% of fruit and vegetable are rejected even before they reach the shops, mostly because they don’t match the consumers and supermarkets need for perfection.

If you add up all the food Australia wastes each year its enough to fill 450,000 garbage trucks.

What you can do?

1) Plan a little and be mindful of what you are throwing out so you don’t repeat the same mistakes.

2) We all end up with food scrapes, so start-a compost bin to generate nutrient-rich fertiliser to grow your own food.

3) If you’re in an apartment block, chat to the body corporate about a communal organic waste collection service.

4) Remember to always keep your choices environmentally friendly where you can, because as you can see every little bit helps. Above all remember to love food and hate waste it will save you money and save the Earth. be a responsible global citizen!

One of the most awesome things we learnt in 2015 is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your Archi wonderful. We recycled almost all of our bubble wrap, which came wrapped around our Archi – there was soon much bubble wrap and the great thing is, none of the waste from Northlakes High School’s Archi delivery will be going into landfill.

We learnt that plastic doesn’t breakdown over time, it just sits there taking up space and adding to the issue of global warming and climate change. So through the Archibull Prize and our mindfulness of the fragile environment, we have already made a difference!

Most importantly we learnt that learning new things is great fun, because you never know what is going to happen and what the end result will be!

Who would have thought we could learn about all these different things by simply studying the Australian wool industry in the Archibull Prize. When we were told that we were participating in the Archi again, we didn’t really know what to expect. Learning about the way Australian farmers work and grow premium products which are exported all over the world was fascinating and now we know Australia really is the lucky country!

Flock Biosecurity Matters for all of us!

When you stop and consider a single ball of wool, it doesn’t seem much; it could be something that many of us even take for granted; we want to knit, we head to the shop and purchase yarn and that’s it! But think about this…..that ball of wool has only made it to the shelves because of Australia’s strict biosecurity measures.

Flock biosecurity is at the forefront of Merino breeders mind, which prevents the spreading of pests and disease and protects farms from costly infections. Australia has a reputation as progressive leaders in producing healthy, productive and resilient stock. This year we at Northlakes High School have had the pleasure of working and meeting Young Farming Champion, Bessie Thomas who has taught us about biosecurity measures on her farm at Burragan.

To add to this (through the magic of technology) we have also conversed with Nan Bray from Tasmania’s White Gum Wool and learnt about the way she farms sheep, keeping biosecurity in mind as well. Both farmer produce high quality Australian fleece, and Mrs Bray even spins hers into yarn which she sells direct to the public. We have used her Merino wool in Woolbaakee’s beanie.

Because Australian wool producers uphold high standards relating Biosecurity, hand, foot and mouth disease is kept at bay. Australia is leading the way, passing on knowledge and best practice to wool producers in China where infectious diseases have contaminated their fleece. It is very important to obtain “grab samples” in the early stages of processing, because later all the fleeces are mixed together in bales and it is impossible to find the source of contamination. Something as small as sheep’s skin pieces contaminates wool and reflects badly on the wool grower. Another problem is also the quality of wool classing, with variations in length and class of the product.

Australia’s strict biosecurity practices ensure our product is clean and free from contamination, because otherwise “EVERYONE SUFFERS” even us, who live in the city and knit the occasional jumper or purchases woollen products. A major disease outbreak would close our economy, so it’s simply not just an industry issue it’s a national security issue. Imagine if all the woollen garments and products were taken off the shelves in Australia because of contamination…..Biosecurity matters to all of us!

Role of the Local Land Services – Hunter Region

Biosecurity & the Australian Wool Industry

8WL Learns about the importance of feeding livestock with native vegetation!

Interesting quotes from David Suzuki &Dick Smith

We recently found a couple of interesting quotes from David Suzuki & Dick Smith. They both fit in nicely with what we are learning about climate change and being responsible global citizens, so we thought we would share.

hope you enjoy!

What a load of rubbish!

Adding to the Problem                                                         12/08/15

Deforestation and the use of fossil fuels are not the only human activities causing climate change. Other aspects of modern life are adding to the problem. Some produce more carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These other greenhouse gases are released in much smaller quantities than carbon dioxide, but they have a serious impact because they are much more powerful. A molecule of methane, for example, has the same effect as 25 molecules of carbon dioxide. Soot and other forms of air pollution also affect the climate by reflecting or absorbing sunlight, causing cooling as well as warming.

Landfill

Developed countries generate immense quantities of rubbish. A lot of it gets burned and this releases carbon dioxide and other, more noxious gases. But alot more is buried in landfill sites, where the normal decay process is inhibited by lack of air. Instead, the food waste and other organic remains are broken down by bacteria that do not need oxygen. These return carbon to the air in the form of methane, which is an extremely potent greenhouse gas – so even when we bury rubbish, we are adding to global warming and climate change.

Plastic and metal don’t breakdown in landfill.

Food waste and organic matter releases methane gas into the atmosphere – adding to global warming.

The rubbish is compressed and compacted and covered over.

Trucks collect rubbish from towns and cities.

Warming and Cooling

This chart shows the main causes of climate change and how much they contribute to the change. Warming factors include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), artificial gases such as CFCs, and low-level ozone. Soot pollution from snow is also a warming factor. Change of land use and aerosol pollution have a cooling effect, shown in blue.

Links we made to the Archibull Prize                                 13/08/2015

Why does it all matter?

We see every day the impact rubbish and wrappers have on our school environment. The rubbish in our school is like a small snapshot of what happens in the world.

We decided that we wanted to include this concept in our Archibull artwork. What better way to do it then to include the waste in the stuffing beneath our woven, woollen patchwork valley. The waste is presentative of landfill and gives the chicken wire structure the support it needs.

We also found a use for the metres and metres of bubble wrap our Archibull arrived with. Initially when we unwrapped our 45 kilogram, white fibre-glass cow, we all wanted to pop the bubble wrap and throw the waste in the rubbish. Mrs Dowe wouldn’t allow us; she said she wanted to save the bubble wrap and we would use it later in our artwork. At the time we didn’t know how that was going to work. As it turns out; we have used the plastic bubble wrap to line the top of our chicken wire structure of our valley. This will provide a surface to attach our 105, 10x10cm crotched woollen patchwork to. It is reasonably easy to mould to the shapes we need to form the valley on the platform.

We are so happy our bubble wrap and plastic are not going to landfill and have been put to a wonderful use in our Archibull artwork in 2015!!!!

We have determined that there are a number of benefits in doing this including; cleaning up our school environment; recycling (reducing our carbon footprint); saving money and time, because we didn’t need to source other materials like newspaper; more people added their contribution to our artwork entry (every little piece counts) and lastly, our eyes were opened to how what we do impacts on our environment. It definitely has made us think about what we do on a daily basis to preserve our environment for the future.

Great thinking team Northlakes!!!!!