Melinda Hashimoto
Mrs Melinda Hashimoto has made an outstanding contribution to Australia’s biosecurity system through her leadership, collaboration and commitment to strengthening preparedness across the layer sector. As Chief Executive Officer of Egg Farmers of Australia, she has played a key role in improving industry resilience, supporting disease preparedness and ensuring producers are equipped to respond to emerging biosecurity threats. Through her work with industry, government and research partners, she has helped strengthen biosecurity awareness and preparedness across one of Australia’s most important agricultural industries.
A significant focus of Mrs Hashimoto’s contribution has been supporting the layer industry’s preparedness for, and response to, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). She has provided leadership and coordination during recent HPAI responses, including outbreaks in 2020, 2024, 2025 and 2026, helping ensure producers received timely information, practical support and clear guidance during periods of heightened biosecurity risk. Her involvement extended well beyond her formal role, supporting industry discussions, coordinating response activities and contributing to national efforts to minimise the impacts of disease outbreaks.
Mrs Hashimoto has also driven the development of practical tools that help producers strengthen on-farm biosecurity. Most notably, she led the development of the Avian Influenza Biosecurity Checklist, a resource designed to assist producers in assessing vulnerabilities, improving preparedness and strengthening biosecurity practices. The checklist has become an important resource for the layer industry and producers to understand their role in preventing and responding to disease incursions.
Beyond disease preparedness, Mrs Hashimoto has been instrumental in raising awareness of biosecurity risks and responsibilities across the agricultural sector. She has worked collaboratively with Animal Health Australia, research and development corporations, government agencies and industry stakeholders to develop and share biosecurity information, improve preparedness planning and support broader industry engagement. Her work has helped strengthen understanding of biosecurity obligations among producers and encouraged a culture of shared responsibility across the sector.
Mrs Hashimoto’s commitment to continuous improvement is further demonstrated through her Churchill Fellowship research, which examined Japan's approach to H5 HPAI preparedness and response. By investigating international best practices and identifying opportunities for application in Australia, she has helped strengthen industry thinking around preparedness, outbreak management and long-term resilience.
Through her leadership, practical approach and dedication to collaboration, Mrs Melinda Hashimoto has made a significant contribution to Australia’s biosecurity system. Her work has strengthened preparedness across the layer sector, improved industry resilience and supported coordinated responses to emerging disease threats. Her ongoing efforts continue to help protect Australia’s animal health, food security and agricultural industries.
Watch a video about their work
Introduction
This is the accessible text transcript of the 2026 Australian Biosecurity Awards winner video featuring Melinda Hashimoto.
Transcript
Hi, I’m Melinda Hashimoto, the CEO of Egg Farmers of Australia.
Our focus is advocacy on the core national issues of biosecurity, animal welfare, food safety and more recently imports and exports.
An understanding of biosecurity is a lifelong commitment to the way we live, work and think.
I don’t see biosecurity as a separate area in our organisations or departments. Rather, it encompasses our thinking, our decisions and what we do every day.
For those we work with it wraps its wings around our practice and for those we meet, in explaining biosecurity, we provide increased knowledge and understanding.
I’m incredibly grateful for the acknowledgement of a 2026 Australian Biosecurity Award, not only for the contribution I’ve made, but for the contribution I plan on making into the future.
I sincerely thank Biosecurity Queensland for my nomination and everyone involved in these awards, for recognising the importance of biosecurity and the people who work to strengthen it. I’m committed to continual improvement and understand that progress takes time and is often in incremental steps.
I’d like to encourage everyone watching this to think about the people around you who are making a difference. Consider nominating them. Recognition matters, and it can help shine a light on the incredible work happening across our biosecurity system. Because nothing is done alone.
I want to thank Egg Farmers of Australia, my employer, and in particular my EFA team, for their support and for the work we do together.
And thank you to the many talented egg farmers, veterinarians, researchers and nutritionists who provide the grassroots knowledge, expertise and practical insights that help us continually improve biosecurity.
This recognition may have my name on it, but the work belongs to many people.
So thank you, this award is for you.
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