Victoria has been labelled as a rogue state due to its poor performance under nationally agreed OJD guidelines.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Abattoir surveillance data collected over the past two years highlights the number of OJD inflected flocks has grown dramatically from 469 to 567 flocks.
Abattoir surveillance to support the national OJD program is conducted and managed by Animal Health Australia and its results., plus the state’s poor provision of producer-supplied Sheep Health Statements, has raised the threat of the whole of Victoria being re-rated under the national OJD program.
This action will possibly see all nine northwest and western region shires previously rated as the low prevalence zones (ABC score-four) in Victoria dumped to medium prevalence (ABC score-two) while the remainder of the state which is now medium prevalence will be reduced to ABC score-one or high prevalence status.
The downgrade will threaten interstate trade between neighbouring states, particularly with SA which will retain its low prevalence ABC score-four status.
The move to re-rate Victoria and also Western Australia is part of the national guidelines review due after June 30.
This could see new zonings as early as September 1, 2010 despite frantic efforts within SA to have this action delayed until 1 January 2011.
Naracoorte combined agents president Richard Harvie says the situation is diabolical.
He said his association made a rushed trip to Adelaide to table a submission to the SA OJD committee Friday seeking clarification on a number of issues.
He said Victoria and WA LP areas (ABC-4) are a large source of breeding stock for SA as they are currently deemed safe with equivalent rating to SA.
“SA does not have enough breeding stock to satisfy its needs for now or in the immediate future” Mr Harvie said.
“Border regions in each state, in my belief, are the best managed and in the case of Victoria because of the influence applied SA border agents who have encouraged and protected the OJD rating in these areas”.
“To place a blanket re-rating to all these areas after years of effective work by all parties would be a disappointing result”, he said.
Several other points of clarification were also placed before the SA OJD committee by Naracoorte agents however none gained satisfy answers he claimed.
“We know SA (PIRSA) is keen to have the regulations tightened under the national guideline review, and the only thing we may have achieved is a possible delay to its implementation.”
Several Victorian stock agents contacted this week admitted they had no knowledge at all of the intended downgrade of the state’s OJD ratings.
ALPA state-committee chairman Warren Clarke of Hamilton said Victoria would be better served by a single unified status however this was not outcome he had hoped for.
“We understand the department (Victoria) is keen to improve the understanding between two states however we have not been kept informed as to recent abattoir surveillance results,” he said.
Similarly surprised with the news was another ALPA board member and Ruralco manager of livestock services, Robert Bolton.
“I wasn’t aware until this very minute” Mr Bolton said when contacted by Stock and Land.
Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group president Chris Nixon said he was aware of the changes but was uncertain when this course of action would be implemented.
*Extract. Full report Stock & Land July 1.
