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Innovate with nbn™ grant winners announced
How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) transform your cattle herd? The winners of the inaugural Innovate with nbn™ Grants Program were revealed on Tuesday. In partnership with Regional Australia Institute (RAI), the Innovate with nbn™ Grants Program offered grants totalling $95,000 across seven categories – agriculture, arts, education, health, indigenous business, tourism and women in regional business. The ag sector winner, Black Box Co, has developed a system that allows farmers to better manage pregnancy in their herds. Find out more and see the list of winners Innovate with nbn grants: the winners | nbn (nbnco.com.au).

Biosecurity: a priority for 2021

Australia’s biosecurity system is fundamental to the success of our agricultural industries and communities and our 2030 Roadmap identifies a robust national biosecurity system as integral to achieving the agriculture sector’s vision of $100 billion GVP by 2030.

Australia remains free of many damaging pests and diseases found elsewhere in the world, a status that brings many benefits. Not only does this status protect the environment, community and agricultural industries from the direct damaging impacts of these pests and diseases - it also provides a competitive advantage when marketing our produce overseas.

Export markets demand high-quality, safe food and fibre, and market access often relies on being able to demonstrate freedom from certain pests and diseases. It follows that Australia’s favorable pest and disease status contributes to our produce being both highly competitive and sought-after on the world market. Maintaining this status is central to industry growth ambitions.

NFF’s biosecurity policy seeks a strong, well-funded and well-resourced biosecurity system that is “up to the job” in protecting Australia’s agricultural industries. The CSIRO, in their 2020 report “Australia’s Biosecurity Future: Unlocking the next decade of resilience” identified a 50% increase in the detection of biosecurity risk materials, due to a range of factors including growing levels of trade and travel.

The report also highlighted concern that Australia is at risk of increased disease outbreaks and pest incursions, weakened exports, and damage to our global trading reputation.

In response to increases in biosecurity pressure, the NFF strongly supported the introduction of a Biosecurity Imports Levy as proposed by the Biosecurity Levy Steering committee back in 2019.

Such a levy would have raised over $100 million per year in funding for biosecurity in-line with increased in trade and transport risk. The Commonwealth Government’s failure to implement this proposal is seen by the NFF as a blow to resourcing and funding for biosecurity surveillance and detection.

In the wake of the government’s failure to implement the Biosecurity Levy the NFF, in its prebudget submission to government, requested $400 million over four years to ensure adequate long-term funding for the national biosecurity system, targeting risk-creating activities and giving trading partners confidence in Australia's pest and disease-free status. Further, the NFF has joined with other concerned stakeholders to declare 2021-2030 a “Decade of National Biosecurity”.

The NFF will continue to demand a stronger, better resourced and better funded biosecurity system into the future on behalf of Australia farmers and their communities.