State Budget: WA Government pledges $32.6m for biosecurity and $10.1m to future proof farms against drought

The McGowan Government has announced two pre-budget cash splashes for WA agriculture, with $32.6 million set aside to boost biosecurity alongside $10.1m to future proof farms against drought. The biosecurity package includes $10.4m to improve the State’s response capability to potential animal disease outbreaks including foot-and-mouth and lumpy skin, after outbreaks in Indonesia last year. The money will go towards improving veterinary testing capability and capacity, and increasing field personnel, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development set to fill up to 14 new full-time equivalent biosecurity jobs. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis made the announcement at David Slade’s Glenridge Park farm, 20km northwest of Mt Barker, on April 27. Ms Jarvis said the money would also go towards training regional private practice veterinarians to support DPIRD in the event of any outbreak. “The reality is the risk of animal diseases is increasing,” she said. “We have more international travel, we have people still bringing food products into Australia illegally, and shipping containers bringing pests and diseases. “The biosecurity cost across Australia is going up, so this is a response to the fact we need to be more prepared here in the State.” The remaining $22.2m will help WA’s livestock industries transition to a mandatory electronic identification system for sheep and goats, set to take effect in early 2025. The eID system — set to be rolled-out nationwide following an agreement between all States and Territories — provides a lifetime record of each animal’s movements, and would reinforce traceability and efficiency during biosecurity responses. Ms Jarvis said the funding was in addition to the $3.4m already provided by the State Government to launch its Tag Incentive Payment discount scheme. “By making this announcement today we know that WA farmers can get ready, we can get the infrastructure in place, we can make sure the systems are fully tested and ready for that implementation at the national level,” she said. Mr Slade, who is the WAFarmers livestock section vice president, said he and his son Andrew switched to eID more than three years ago. “Before that, it was a visual-based system and you can’t rely on a visual-based system anymore,” he said. “If you read 100 tags there is always a chance of getting one or two wrong, whereas the eIDs are 100 per cent.” Ms Jarvis announced the $10.1m drought resilience funding package, set to be rolled out over the next three years, while in Geraldton on April 30. It matches funding from the Albanese Government through its Future Drought Fund. “We’ve had some amazing seasons in the grain industry in WA, but it’s important to remember with the impact of climate change, there could be some drier seasons coming up, and we want to make sure the community and farming businesses have that resilience built in to them,” Ms Jarvis said. Flanking Ms Jarvis were Northampton Shire president and farmer Liz Sudlow, and Katherine Allen, CEO of the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council’s Natural Resource Management program. Ms Allen said NACC had been working with local governments for the past 18 months to identify priority activities for building resilience. These included activities that built economic, social and environmental resilience, and improved the extension and adoption of existing tools and services. Ms Sudlow welcomed the funding, saying the droughts of 2006-7 had “taken their toll” on Northampton locals. “It’s great to see social support… and anything else that can contribute to the resilience of the community,” she said. The full Budget will be handed down by the State Government on May 12.