If your livestock are showing signs of foot-and-mouth disease, immediately call the
Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888
(free call within Australia)
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious animal disease that affects cloven hoofed animals, including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, deer, camels, llamas and alpacas. An incursion of the virus would have severe consequences for Australia's animal health and trade.
In May 2022, an FMD outbreak was reported in cattle in Indonesia. Following the outbreak, we changed Indonesia's risk profile and strengthened biosecurity requirements for imported goods, incoming passengers and mail. We continue to monitor the situation in Indonesia and adjust controls proportionate to any changes in risk.
Australia is providing ongoing support for Indonesia's FMD outbreak response and we will continue to engage with them to assist with their control efforts.
Australia's strict biosecurity measures aim to reduce the risk of diseases such as FMD being introduced to Australia. This risk has been effectively managed for over 100 years. We are confident that our biosecurity measures are appropriate to manage the risk of FMD.
The Australian Government has made a commitment to long-term sustainable biosecurity funding through new investments that will bolster Australia's ability to respond to exotic biosecurity threats, such as FMD.
Keeping a top watch across northern Australia
The Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS) works with state and territory governments. Together they undertake targeted surveillance activities for exotic animal and plant pests and diseases across Australia's north. NAQS also raises public awareness through the Indigenous ranger network, to support early detection of exotic pests and diseases.
In 2018 the Northern Australia Biosecurity Surveillance Network (NABSnet) was established to support private veterinarians working in northern Australia. NABSnet investigates significant disease events, particularly in cattle. Funding is provided to subsidise significant disease investigations, cattle skin lesion sampling, a regular newsletter, employment of a private veterinary advisor and an annual veterinary skills masterclass.
The Northern Australia Biosecurity Strategy 2030 was developed in response to increased biosecurity risks in northern Australia. It sets out key biosecurity objectives and priority actions for this unique region. The Northern Australia People Capacity and Response Network (NAPCaRN) was established in partnership with the strategy, to boost biosecurity capacity and capability in northern Australia.
An allocation of $4.33 million helped establish the Northern Australian Coordination Network. It brought together the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australian governments, local communities, and industry, to improve surveillance and preparedness. The network supports preparedness activities by partnering with industry groups on the ground to:
- maximise resources
- enhance communication and training
- boost FMD and lumpy skin disease (LSD) surveillance efforts.
Managing the risk offshore
Australia has invested heavily overseas to build capacity of countries in the region to combat pests and diseases. We support the World Organisation for Animal Health's Southeast Asia, China and Mongolia FMD (SEACFMD) campaign. This program aims to prevent, control and eradicate FMD through collaborative action by 12 countries in Southeast Asia and the surrounding region. Although FMD is present across much of the region, an evaluation of the SEACFMD campaign from 1997-2020 found that it had helped improve technical capacity, developed strong relationships between technical staff, and facilitated effective coordination and communication between members.
Australia has provided support to Indonesia's FMD response. This has included supplying vaccines, deployment of technical expertise, and capacity building through the delivery of specialised training programs.
Support is also provided to Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea, which are both free of FMD. We assist with their FMD preparedness as part of our longstanding program of collaborative work with these countries and their proximity to Indonesia. Support includes:
- technical assistance and operational inputs to support on-ground preparedness efforts such as rapid risk assessments, community awareness, active and passive surveillance, diagnostic testing capacity, vaccine preparedness
- training for Timor-Leste quarantine officers through the Charles Sturt University Biosecurity Training Centre.
Assisting Indonesia with its FMD response
Australia provides ongoing support to Indonesia's FMD response. This includes vaccines, technical expertise, and capacity building. Examples of support include:
- Supplying 4 million doses of FMD vaccine to Indonesia, costing approximately $5.9 million
- $1.1 million to Meat & Livestock Australia for the Indonesia Biosecurity Support Project, to enhance biosecurity capacity in Indonesia's commercial feedlot sector to curb the spread of FMD and LSD
- $1.2 million to LiveCorp to support FMD and LSD vaccination of animals in buffer zones surrounding feedlots and other facilities in Indonesia
- Technical assistance to strengthen laboratory capacity, including a $1.7 million program through CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness to help build laboratory proficiency testing programs in Indonesia
- $1.2 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization to deliver a technical support initiative in Indonesia
- Training over 100 Indonesian quarantine officers through Charles Sturt University's Biosecurity Training Centre.
Biosecurity education and awareness
Campaigns are in place to advise travellers entering Australia about the FMD risk and what they must do to avoid bringing the disease in on footwear, clothing and other goods. People ordering goods online also need to be aware of what can and can't be imported.
See more on the advice to travellers page.
We work with state and territory governments and peak industry bodies, on awareness and education campaigns for livestock and associated industries. Visit Farm Biosecurity for free property biosecurity management tools and resources.
Early detection and reporting of any suspected pest or disease is vital to reducing the spread.
FMD preparedness
Australia is recognised globally for its ability to deal quickly and effectively with emergency animal disease outbreaks, such as the 2020 avian influenza outbreak. An outbreak of FMD could have more significant effects than anything Australia has previously experienced.
FMD is a notifiable disease in all states and territories and suspected or confirmed cases must be reported to a veterinarian or the state or territory's department of primary industries or agriculture by phoning the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Suspected FMD cases would be investigated immediately and samples taken for diagnostic testing. A sample would be tested by the state or territory government, and another would be sent for confirmatory testing at CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Victoria. Meanwhile the premises would be quarantined and plans activated so the response can be initiated as soon as possible, should the results come back positive.
National response arrangements
Australia has response arrangements in place for emergency animal diseases. These are nationally agreed between the Australian, state and territory governments and peak industry bodies.
In the event of an outbreak, the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (CCEAD) chaired by Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer convenes and consists of chief veterinary officers from each jurisdiction, CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness and representatives from affected industries. Animal Health Australia also attends meetings as an observer.
CCEAD provides the technical expertise during animal health emergencies, including how to contain, control and eradicate the disease, and the indicative costs of control. States and territories are responsible for developing emergency animal disease response plans, for CCEAD endorsement. These response plans follow the FMD AUSVETPLAN Response Strategy which sets out the nationally agreed approach on how to contain, control and eradicate FMD, if there was an incursion.
Following CCEAD agreement, the emergency animal disease response plans are submitted to the National Emergency Animal Disease Management Group for approval. The group is responsible for supporting the response through national cost-sharing arrangements, which are set out in the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA). Animal Health Australia is the custodian of both AUSVETPLAN and the EADRA.
Read more about how Australia responds to outbreaks.
Duration of a response
The length of time taken to control and eradicate the disease depends on how long the virus has been present before detection and the degree of spread.
If there is a single point outbreak, authorities should be able to isolate and eradicate the disease quickly. If the disease has already taken hold and spread across a state or over borders, it will take much longer.
Role of other agencies
An incursion of FMD would involve all levels of government. The on-ground response would be managed by state and territory governments, with national coordination provided by this department.
Other Australian Government agencies will also have a role.
The AUSVETPLAN Control Centres Manual describes the roles and responsibilities of participants.
Response personnel
There are many people across Australia experienced in biosecurity emergency responses. However, an FMD incursion will draw upon many resources which may become exhausted if Australia faces a wide-spread, long-term response.
Experienced personnel can be sourced through the National Biosecurity Response Team (NBRT), which has people who are deployed into various incident management team roles including public information, operations, planning, logistics, finance and administration. NBRT undertakes regular training through Animal Health Australia, which also conducts training for veterinarians and industry groups.
Exercises
Exercises are an important part of validating and strengthening Australia's biosecurity emergency preparedness and response arrangements. This ensures we maintain a strong capability when responding to plant, animal or environmental pest or disease outbreaks.
Since 2021, we have delivered a series of exercises to explore the Australian Government's role and processes during a significant biosecurity emergency. Exercises enhance Australia's capability to respond to current and emerging biosecurity threats.
In 2023, leading experts from across Australia's laboratory network and jurisdictions took part in Exercise Waterhole. The aim of this exercise was to evaluate and improve the national surge response capacity of laboratory networks for emergency animal diseases.
For further information on these exercises, or exercises undertaken prior to 2021, please see the Exercises page.
Matthews Review into FMD preparedness
We are continuing our efforts to ensure Australia is well-prepared to manage FMD. In 2011, Mr Ken Matthews AO provided a qualitative assessment of Australia's readiness to respond to the threat of FMD.
View the report: A review of Australia's preparedness for the threat of foot-and-mouth disease.