Broken Hill's work 'superb'
From the October 2009 edition of Agriculture Today.
Judges described as "superb" one of the winning submissions in the Australian Farm Biosecurity Awards, by flock owners of Broken Hills former Rural Lands Protection Board.
Now within the Western Livestock Health and Pest Authority, the flock owners won the award for their voluntary work to keep Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) out of the Broken Hill region.
The award was one of five Australian Rural and Outback Awards announced in Canberra in September.
It recognised the 12-year program in which flock owners demonstrated their sheep had little to no risk of infection, and then worked together with vets and other staff from the former Broken Hill RLPB to create an OJD exclusion area.
Out of the four finalists for the farm biosecurity award, this group was unique, as their project was a voluntary initiative with one hundred per cent of flock owners in the area volunteering to participate.
Regional veterinary officer, Greg Curran, said 128 flock owners decided to prevent entry of OJD in 1997.
"Broken Hill flock owners were ahead of their time, they wanted to demonstrate their disease risk status, become a protected zone, and develop and implement what would later be recognised as a full biosecurity plan," Dr Curran said.
To do this they developed a series of initiatives, including the establishment of the Broken Hill OJD Committee, promotion of awareness of OJD risk and how to prevent it in 1997, and a census of all introductions of sheep from 1988 to 1997.
The committee applied to become a Protected Area in 1998.
In 2002, the Rural Lands Protection Board introduced a Stock Register booklet to record stock movements, as well as other property information.
Flock owners continued to report all introductions of stock, for risk assessment.
No OJD has been found in the area in the 12-year program.
Dr Curran said these initiatives culminated with Ministerial approval of Broken Hills application to become an OJD Exclusion Area in 2004.
The benefits from the program include greater market access for sheep from the OJD exclusion area, cost savings in not needing to vaccinate for the disease, and flock owners knowing their neighbours sheep dont pose a threat.
"The area now has a hard-earned reputation for being disease-free or very low risk, we have the respect of others in the sheep industry and peace of mind in being bio-secure," Dr Curran said.
"The work was very much a community effort and reflects the values and commitment of those living in the Western Division.
"The efforts of two people stand out - the strong, effective leadership and advocacy of Keith Allison, and the working relationships and communication skills of Broken Hill Boards executive officer, Ruth Holmes.
"The program has established a precedent for communal action in dealing with biosecurity issues, something we encourage," said LHPA State councillor, David Gowing.
