Page 11 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Collaboration enhances biosecurity preparedness
Call to producers as pork industry vision takes shape
I AM excited to intro- duce myself to you as a new member of the Australia Pork Lim- ited team in my role leading the Producer Relations team, which was established earlier this year.
As confirmed during the consultation and development of A PL’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, the producer rela- tions team has a unique function in building a shared vision for the fu- ture of Australian pork.
and butchers.
This role provided
updating the PigPass system capabilities rep- resents a significant contribution to the pork industry.
Before joining APL, the majority of my ca- reer was spent with major supermarket chains, managing mul- tiple stores in Victoria, South Australia and NSW.
great insight into the determining of livestock market pricing and the impact price changes have on all levels of the supply chain, from pro- ducer to consumer.
Currently, APL’s pro- ducer relations team comprises of five mem- bers – Jennifer Stone, Tracey Holland, Rachael Bryant, Jenna Moss and myself.
At one stage, this in- cluded looking after 41 supermarkets from Griffith to Orange and across to Batemans Bay, as well as the ACT stores in between.
Recently, much-valued team member Steve Miller left APL to pursue opportunities in a different environment.
Initially, we will be calling producers to seek information to as- sist APL in delivering the shared vision and goals of the strategic plan.
The experience helped me understand the chal- lenges producers face, with managing people and the cost of doing business at the same time.
Steve joined APL in 2009 as an analyst in the marketing team, after a career in the automotive and insurance industry.
This will develop as we build relationships and strong two-way communication, and as producers come to know our team as their pri- mary contact point at APL.
For the past three years, I worked in wholesale as the op- erations manager for a Canberra-based meat, poultry and smallgoods business,whichsupplied product to hospitality
His customer ser- vice skills prompted his move into policy, working in the Aus- tralian Pork Industry Quality Assurance Pro- gram team and assisting with APL’s PigPass.
We look forward to speaking with as many producers as possible before Christmas and continuing those con- versations in the new year.
by PAUL BONIGHTON Director Producer Relations
We are grateful to Steve for his work with APL and indeed the en- tire industry.
His subsequent man- agement of the APIQ program and work on
AFRICAN swine fever remains a national pri- ority for the Australian pork industry and gov- ernment.
ties throughout the supply chain, and discuss how to leverage social science to drive a greater under- standing and uptake of biosecurity.
Exercise Razorback – hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment – con- tinues to examine crit- ical aspects of an ASF response, including the impact of movement re- strictions, mass destruc- tion and considerations regarding feral pigs.
biosecurity projects.
The exercise was a strong, effective collaboration be- tween industry and gov- ernment to progress ASF preparedness and inform
tions to review and make recommendations on as- pects of compensation and valuation to inform AUSVETPLAN.
This was followed by a virtual Australian Bios- ecurity 2030 Workshop – hosted by Animal Health Australia, the Invasive Species Council, the Centre for Invasive Spe- cies Solutions and Plant Health Australia.
Recently, as part of Exercise Razorback, the second workshop focused on mass destruction in a range of different sized piggeries.
national ASF strategy.
In late November, Ex- ercise Piggyback – initi- ated by the NSW State Emergency Management Committee – tested the capacity of the NSW Gov- ernment to manage a re- sponse to and recovery
APL’s ASF liaison of- ficers, Dr Kirsty Richards and Mr Tony Abel, are strengthening producer networks and biosecurity tools to assist the ASF ex- tension across the country.
The workshop offered delegates the opportunity to influence the direc- tion of Australia’s future biosecurity system, and a chance to learn from key speakers with emer- gency and health experi- ence, such as Commis- sioner Shane Fitzsimmons who lead the response to the NSW bushfires over the summer of 2020 and Liz King from Cancer Council NSW.
In a tremendous col- laboration between in- dustry and government, the workshop brought together 79 participants from all states, including producers, proces- sors, veterinarians, state farming organisations, state and federal govern- ment representatives and international partners.
from an outbreak of ASF. The exercise was de- signed to assess the effec- tiveness of NSW’s whole- of-government arrange- ments for coordinating not only a response but impor- tantly also recovery efforts. The newly formed agency Resilience NSW, led by Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, was integrally involved in this
They are also working to increase engagement with domestic processors and leveraging estab- lished networks through the National Meat In- dustry Training Advi- sory Council Limited. Tony and Kirsty, along with National Feral Pig Coordinator Dr Heather Channon, recently pre- sented at the Queensland Country Meat Processors Association, discussing how to enhance biosecu- rity, infrastructure chal- lenges and feral pig risks.
Commissioner Fitzsim- mons described the analogy of preparing your house for a bushfire with your farm for ASF, noting the need to push back against the common Aus- tralian attitude of ‘she’ll be right mate’ or ‘it won’t happen to me’.
Australian producer and processor delegates pro- vided invaluable expe- rience and were instru- mental to the discussion around destruction deci- sion-making, constraints and costs.
exercise.
Supported by Animal
He spoke of the impor- tance of respectful au- thentic communication, building capacity and re- sources, connecting with motivated stakeholders and focusing on even minute details.
Participants discussed alternative systems to destroy pigs in a large- scale emergency situa- tion, which will inform updates to the national AUSVETPLAN destruc- tion manual.
Health Australia, Exercise Silk Purse is currently underway and is another demonstration of govern- ment and industry col- laboration, with APL and producer members from across the country partici- pating.
The National Animal Biosecurity Research, De- velopment and Extension Strategy held an Animal Biosecurity Investment Showcase on November 4.
Biosecurity is a shared responsibility that works best if we continue to all work together.
Outcomes and learnings from this exercise will also support Australian Pork Limited’s ASF de- struction, disposal and de- contamination, and truck
Exercise Silk Purse is an initiative between in- dustry and state jurisdic-
The showcase saw cross-sectoral industries share key research out- comes, discuss ASF de- struction, disposal and decontamination priori-
Everyone plays a role in protecting the sustain- ability of the Australian pork industry.
by LACHELLE VAN BREDA APL Manager Prodution Stewardship | R&I
www.porknews.com.au
Australian Pork Newspaper, December 2020 – Page 11