Posted on: September 17, 2025
How to Manage Biosecurity Risks To Safeguard Your Farm
Australia’s farmers lose an estimated $24.5 billion every year to biosecurity breaches and invasive species. That’s from destroyed crops and culled livestock to costly control work and impacts on markets. And the CSIRO expects this toll to worsen.
It’s getting easier for pests and diseases to slip through lately, thanks to overseas trade, changing weather, and bigger animal numbers. For small farms, the knock-on effect is downtime, lost sales, and a slower bounce-back.
Individual cases can range from thousands up to tens of millions of dollars
per incident, research shows.
Busting Biosecurity Myths That Cost Farms Money
Many farmers skip biosecurity steps based on outdated thinking. In fact, recent research shows Australian beef cattle farmers’ biosecurity practices are shaped by personal values and social influences, with some misjudging disease risks or downplaying the threat of endemic and emerging diseases.
Consider these common myths:
“Biosecurity is only for big operations”
Small farms actually face higher risks per animal because they often can’t afford dedicated clean areas or staff. Simple steps like keeping farm-only boots and a visitor log work at any scale.
“Good biosecurity costs too much”
The best protection actually costs next to nothing. Simple steps like washing your hands, cleaning boots between paddocks, and jotting down who visits when will stop more outbreaks than fancy equipment. Build these habits first, then worry about expensive gear later.
“Foot baths are enough protection”
Dirty foot baths actually spread disease instead of stopping it. They need constant cleaning and proper contact time to work. Clean boots with soap and water first, then disinfect.
“The government handles biosecurity for me”
Under Australian law, every farmer has a “general biosecurity duty” to prevent, eliminate, or minimise risks they encounter. It’s your legal responsibility, not just the government’s job.
Recent Alerts You Should Know About
Recent alerts about invasive pests and serious livestock or crop diseases, such threats to bees, cattle, and grain, have led to tighter movement rules and more farm checks. These steps help stop the spread, but they can also slow jobs, delay stock movement, and add extra admin for farmers and suppliers.
Of course, if you’re concerned about a pest or disease, you can report it on this Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.
What a Breach Can Cost Your Business
A single outbreak can hit several parts of your bottom line at once. Even if your farm avoids direct loss, downtime still hurts.
You might be required to cull animals, lose feed, stop production to clean and test, or face delays getting your produce or livestock to market. Smaller operators often feel these shocks harder. Cash flow gets tight while extra rules and checks slow things down. If you sell into export markets, you might also find buyers take longer to return, even once you’re back to normal operations.
Where Insurance Can and Cannot Help
Some covers can help take the sting out of a biosecurity hit, but they only work if you’ve told your insurer about your risks and made sure they’re included when you take out or renew your policy.
Common areas to explore with your adviser include:
Business interruption
Lost income if operations stop due to a covered event
Livestock mortality
Cover for animals lost to a covered disease event
Specified diseases
Protection where named diseases are listed in the wording
The fine print matters. If the government orders a quarantine or bans stock movement, you’re usually not covered unless you’ve asked for that extra cover upfront. Some policies focus on accidental contamination; others need evidence of negligence or a specific trigger event.
Always check what proof you’d need and how long you’d have to wait before a payout, so there are no surprises when you claim.
Practical Steps to Cut Risk Now
Strengthen your on-farm biosecurity basics; prevention is cheaper than clean-up. Make sure staff training, visitor rules, and equipment cleaning all match your state’s advice, and keep it written down so it’s easy to show if an inspector visits.
To keep work moving when the unexpected happens, work out what would force you to stop work and what back-up options you have, like alternate suppliers or delivery routes. Then make sure your cover matches how your farm actually operates. So, things like seasonal peaks, moving livestock, agistment, off-farm storage, and contracts can all change the risks you face.
If you’re unsure, have a quick chat with us. We can walk you through your current cover, show what’s included for biosecurity risks, and where any gaps might leave you exposed. Whether you’re moving stock, bringing in feed, or expanding, we’ll help make sure your policy fits the way your farm works today so a claim is more likely to be paid without delays.
