The spread of pests and weeds by vehicles and machinery can have significant consequences for our farmer clients.
A basic standard of machine hygiene should apply to all machinery movements farm to farm. It should not take a notified biosecurity incursion for all people travelling on to farms to develop and practice sound hygiene measures to prevent the transmission of any weed or disease. In fact, a sound biosecurity policy for every groundspreading company adds to the level of service offered to farmer clients giving a competitive edge to well-run groundspreading businesses. We also must remember that anything that adversely affects our farmer clients’ business, also adversely affects our business.
Biosecurity Protocol
Click below for a sample Biosecurity Protocol for NZGFA members to apply to their businesses by distributing to their clients. Thank you to John Schultz and Wealleans for the preparation of the guidelines.
Mycoplasma Bovis
Where a farm is declared a “Restricted Place” under the Biosecurity Act 1993, due to a serious pest issue, extra measures should be adopted to ensure no transmission of infected material can occur. Mbovis is known to be transmitted animal to animal in milk, semen or nose to nose contact. It cannot survive away from the bovine host if exposed to air and sunlight. It may survive in damp wet environments for a longer time, so there is a low transmission risk of spores surviving in dung on the undersides of vehicles.
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