Biosecurity plans now essential for LPA accreditation

Richard Smith, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Industry Development Officer

Recent changes to the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program mean producers seeking accreditation or reaccreditation must now upload or create an On-farm Biosecurity Management Plan for each property linked to their LPA account.

A biosecurity management plan is a practical way to show how you are preventing pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants from entering your property and from spreading around or leaving your property.

This plan helps define your responsibilities, outlines the disease protocols for your property and ensures property information and biosecurity measures are quickly accessible when needed.

To assist in developing a plan several organisations have developed online templates ranging from industry specific to more general.

Depending on the template or tool you use, remember to tailor and adapt it to your individual situation and your specific biosecurity risks.

Producers should contact their industry peak body as they are often the best resource for accessing biosecurity planning information.

Information and biosecurity templates are available from:

Agriculture Victoria: Farm biosecurity planning and templates ·

Animal Health Australia: Property biosecurity management planning

Integrity Systems - Livestock Production Assurance: Biosecurity plans can be completed through the LPA Learning module or by using the template at On-Farm Biosecurity Management

A biosecurity management plan should be a living document, that is reviewed and updated regularly, aligning with any changes to your property, management practices, land purchase or if a disease, pest, or weed outbreak occurs on your property.

The Victorian Government's commitment to strong biosecurity helps protect communities, food supply and everyday life for Victorians. Learn more by visiting the Biosecurity webpage.

Phone: 0499 540 475