The Members Forum highlights the latest member news and provides a forum to share information and key learnings.  We welcome member news to feature.

We take a look at:

• The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council 2007 Apimondia Congress
• The Australian Chicken Meat Federation’s recent industry webinar initiative
• A new study on peri-urban farming from DAFF
• Disease eradication in plant health

Apimondia 2007

Nearly 2000 people from over 100 countries attended the 2007 International Federation of Beekeeping Organisations “Apimondia” congress in September.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council hosted the Melbourne conference, bringing together apiarists, scientists, apiculture equipment manufacturers and honey packers.

Despite the importance of the congress, organisers were concerned about the biosecurity implications of so many people involved in the honeybee industry meeting, and the risk of disease spread between participants. Needless to say biosecurity issues were at the forefront for all delegates.

Congress topics included beekeeping in developing countries, bee biology and pathology, bee technology and equipment, pollination, and quality assurance. As well, apiculture equipment manufacturers exhibited specialist machinery and equipment needed for quality food production. The sessions proved to be very informative, sharing worldwide best practices.

Australian Chicken Meat Industry Harness New Technology To Communicate To Customers

Chicken meat producers are very aware of the devastating impact disease can have on its broader stakeholders, including its customers. The need for effective, factual and coordinated communications in an outbreak cannot be understated.

For this reason the ACMF hosted a webinar (online seminar) in October for key customers to create a forum to discuss preparations and communications for an AI outbreak.

Participants simply clicked an internet link to view powerpoint slides and dialled into a teleconference to hear the accompanying audio and participate in a question and answer session.

The webinar was an opportunity to discuss plans and insights and to discuss how industry could best work with customers and reach shared understanding about working together. It provided an extremely informative forum, enabling the industry to reach a large number of customers efficiently and effectively, and encouraging some retailers to approach the industry for more detailed discussions.

New study provides key to small landholders

For those looking to improve their understanding of peri-urban dwellers, a new DAFF study provides a valuable tool.

Peri-urban landholders, including hobby farmers and small land owners, are a diverse group with varied knowledge of good farm biosecurity practices, therefore posing potential risks to broader agriculture. Some run sophisticated and highly profitable farming businesses; Research (Houston, 2005, Hodges 2005) has found that small landholders contribute 25% to the national gross value of agricultural production in Australia despite occupying 3% of agricultural land.

This report explores the land uses, land management practices and motivations of small land holders in the selected regions. The research focussed on identifying practices that may give rise to exotic pests and diseases currently not established in Australia.

The report, Biosecurity and small landholders in peri-urban Australia written by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, can be found at http://affashop.gov.au/product.asp?prodid=13824

National Citrus Canker Eradication

Although not related to livestock, this is an interesting news story from the broader agricultural industry which highlights the benefits of early detection.

Australia could become the first country in the world to eradicate citrus canker if central Queensland’s Emerald area remains clear of the bacterial infection for another year.

In May 2005 when the disease was detected in the area, 500,000 citrus trees were destroyed. Replanting started three months ago.

Mike Ashton from the Department of Primary Industries says the real test will be whether the disease reappears in the new trees.

"We will undertake a further intensive surveillance program over the next 18 months," he said.

"Surveillance of orchards every 90 days will give us confidence; if we don't detect the disease it has been eradicated."

Source: 2008 crucial to citrus canker situation, Posted November 2, 2007