Victoria’s biosecurity system is set to receive a significant boost through a $6.1 million investment aimed at preventing, monitoring, and controlling diseases affecting cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and honeybee industries. This funding will support 38 innovative projects, implemented by 16 organizations, that will use emerging technologies to improve livestock biosecurity across the state.
The funding comes from the Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program, which reinvests funds collected through livestock sales and beekeeper registration fees to tackle new and evolving biosecurity challenges. Notable projects include a $1.4 million initiative by Veterinary Support Services in Warragul, which will run a two-year Victorian Livestock Veterinary Scholarship program, offering early-career veterinarians the opportunity to gain essential skills and experience in livestock veterinary care in regional Victoria.
Another significant project is a $155,000 pilot program by Western Plains Pork to map interactions between feral and domestic pigs, helping to assess disease transmission risks and improve preparedness in the Victorian pig industry.
These investments highlight a collaborative approach to biosecurity, with both government and industry working together to enhance protections against livestock diseases. The Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program is designed to directly benefit the industry by providing groundbreaking solutions to emerging biosecurity challenges.