27 June 2025

Who does this notice affect?

Stakeholders including importers, customs brokers, freight forwarders and biosecurity industry participants (approved arrangement and compliance agreement holders) vessel masters and shipping agents.

What has changed?

In 2025, the department will apply indexation to biosecurity and imported food regulatory charges.

All legislated regulatory charges that are subject to an indexation provision will increase by 2.4% on 1 July 2025.

This report lists food that has recently failed under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS). 

Data for the fails in this report and previous reports are available from this link - Imported Food Inspection Scheme - monthly failing food reports - Dataset - data.gov.au

26 June 2025

Who does this notice affect?

Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, offshore treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal agents and master consolidators.

What has changed?

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has updated the treatment certification requirements for goods treated in China following the approval of treatment providers based in China onto the List of treatment providers.

Large producers of Agaricus mushrooms may apply to use the alternative payment method.

If your application is approved, you will be able to pay the levy in equal monthly instalments over the year based on the maximum amount of mushroom spawns you are required to pay levy on in a financial year - which is 370,000 kilograms.

How to apply

To apply, you must reasonably believe that the total amount of mushroom spawn you will produce and purchase in the next financial year will be 370,000 kilograms or more.

26 June 2025

Who does this notice affect?

Approved arrangement operators attempting to access online reports of entries referred to the department for biosecurity assessment, or management under a class 19 Approved Arrangement, via the Industry Reporting.

Information

Start time:

As of: 00:01 Thursday 26th of June 2025 (AEST).

Options for the Development of National Standards and Guidelines for Animal Welfare

The AWTG are continuing discussions on the staged approach to improvements to the standards development process.

Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Livestock at Processing Facilities and Establishments

AWTG 25-03 noted an update from Queensland that jurisdictions continue to work collaboratively on the third draft of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Livestock at Processing Facilities and Establishments.

Project description

This project improved serological testing capability for ASF in Australia by harmonising quality assurance processes. It also established robust testing capability throughout the Laboratories for Emergency Animal Disease Diagnostic and Response (LEADDR) network.

Project Lead: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Project Contact: animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au 

Project Status: Complete

Overview

This project developed robust whole genome sequencing procedures for the early detection and characterisation of lumpy skin disease and African horse sickness viruses. The goal is to reduce the consequences of their outbreaks in Australia.

The genomic sequencing probes and procedures are now available at the Australian Centre for Disease Prevention. These serve as an invaluable resource in the event of a disease outbreak in Australia.

Project Lead: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Overview

Phase 2 of this project developed a curated database of verified genomic viral sequences for notifiable aquatic animal disease viruses in Australia. In addition, several new whole genome sequences from recent local terrestrial and aquatic outbreaks were uploaded to improve the utility of the database.

The genomic database facilitates a more robust and efficient application of high throughput sequencing for Australian biosecurity surveillance and disease detection.

Project Lead: AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria

Overview

The desktop and functional exercises were completed with great success in 2023.