Practical biosecurity resources for Australian farmers

Farm Biosecurity

This biosecurity hub offers a wealth of practical resources, including biosecurity templates, checklists, manuals, and an interactive Farm Biosecurity Action Planner. The site features industry-specific information for a variety of crops and livestock, instructional videos on biosecurity essentials, and biosafety tips such as visitor management, washdown procedures, and record keeping.

It also provides timely news updates related to pest and disease outbreaks, as well as links to state and territory biosecurity programs. Tools and guides here enable landholders to develop tailored biosecurity plans that prevent exotic and endemic pest incursions, view the website here.

Farm Biosecurity Action Planner

The Biosecurity Action Planner is a practical digital tool that guides farmers through creating detailed biosecurity plans by helping identify risks on their property, setting up biosecurity zones, and listing routine biosecurity practices. It includes templates for visitor logs, equipment and vehicle cleaning schedules, and farm entry signage. The planner also promotes collaboration with neighboring farms to manage risks collectively and lets farmers subscribe to regular email updates with alerts and new resources to keep biosecurity practices current, practical, and impactful.

Available through the Farm Biosecurity website at Farm Biosecurity under planning tools

Plant Health Australia

Plant Health Australia has a large resource hub of biosecurity materials tailored to support the Australian plant industry in managing plant pest risks. It offers a wide range of practical resources including biosecurity manuals, biosecurity plans, contingency plans, codes of practice, training courses like the Biosecurity Online Training (BOLT), as well as fact sheets, case studies, brochures, and sign strategies.

The centre serves as a one-stop portal where industry members can find materials to help develop and implement robust biosecurity measures on their properties. Resources are available for diverse plant industries such as almonds, apples, berries, citrus, grains, macadamias, melons, vegetables, and many more. It also features diagnostic tools and high-quality images to support identification and management of pests and diseases, view here.

Animal Health Australia

This site hosts templates for farm biosecurity plans tailored to different livestock enterprises, including grazing, meat, dairy, and fibre production. It offers comprehensive biosecurity manuals focusing on risk management, emergency animal disease preparedness, and day-to-day hygiene practices. These manuals provide case studies and step-by-step guides to building resilient farm businesses.

It also supplies industry-specific documentation like animal health declarations and supports integration with national animal health monitoring programs, view here.

NSW Government On-farm Biosecurity Planning Tips

The biosecurity planning guide offers a straightforward approach to creating biosecurity plans tailored to the challenges within NSW (though relevant to most of Australia). It includes a self-assessment checklist to identify gaps and strengths in current biosecurity practices. Practical guidance covers managing pest and disease risks, hygiene protocols for visitors and staff, vehicle and equipment sanitation, and plans for responding to disease outbreaks.

Farmers are encouraged to use simple templates to quickly implement biosecurity strategies and take advantage of local support services, view here.

Local Land Services NSW – On Farm Biosecurity Plans

This site provides user-friendly templates and helps farmers tailor biosecurity measures according to their specific farm type and risk level. It emphasizes key practical measures such as controlling farm access, recording visitor details, managing waste, and cleaning equipment. The resource also offers advice for maintaining ongoing surveillance and early detection of pests and diseases, supporting farmers to adapt plans with changing risks, view here.

Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Planning Templates

Agriculture Victoria offers downloadable farm biosecurity plan templates suitable for livestock producers, including disease outbreak scenarios and emergency response measures. The site provides practical educational material and free online training courses addressing hygiene, disease signs, and property isolation measures. The “Come Clean, Go Clean” campaign is also promoted, which emphasizes visitor hygiene protocols, supported by signage and educational resources for farms and service providers, view here.

Farm Biosecurity Videos Series (Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia)

These educational videos present farmers with practical demonstrations of biosecurity essentials like hygiene practices, pest control, visitor management, and emergency responses. The videos are designed to be straightforward and actionable, suitable for training farm staff and sharing best practices with peers. They also cover industry-specific concerns and provide case studies that illustrate how farms successfully prevent disease outbreaks through careful biosecurity, watch here.

Backyard Biosecurity Booklet (Agriculture Victoria)

A practical guide for small-scale landholders and hobby farmers on biosecurity fundamentals tailored to their scale and risk profile.

These resources cover practical tools, templates, planning guides, training, and specific industry advice that Australian farmers can use to develop and maintain effective biosecurity on their properties, protecting their businesses and the broader agricultural industry from pests and diseases, download here.

On Farm Biosecurity

Each of these resources provides actionable, easy-to-understand tools, templates, and guidance designed to help Australian farmers reduce biosecurity risks effectively on their properties. Together, they cover a wide range of enterprise types, scales, and biosecurity challenges relevant across the country.