Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence today announced $15 million for 22 projects that will strengthen Victoria’s biosecurity and safeguard our livestock industries as part of the 2025 Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program.
As we celebrate National Biosecurity Week this week, the program supports projects that help prevent, monitor and control diseases in animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, swine and honey bees.
Veterinary Support Services will use the Government’s investment of more than $102,000 to pilot FarmVet Connect – a new program giving early career vets a year working alongside beef and dairy farmers. These placements will allow them to build rural networks and relationships, and support veterinary and agriculture industry education and support.
Producers will play an active role, sharing insights from their own operations and welcoming vets into discussion groups, industry events, and social events. Up to 12 veterinarians in regional clinics will be matched with at least two local producers.
The Victorian Apiarists Association will use its combined funding of more than $205,000 to educate and inform beekeepers on the biosecurity risks posed by the Varroa mite, and for a research program to ensure the state retains healthy iron bark forests into the future.
The Victorian Farmers Federation will also use its grants of more than $1,660,000 to extend its Stock Sense program, helping it reach peri-urban areas and ensure owners and hobby farmers know how to keep their animals healthy.
Stock Sense works with local communities to raise awareness of biosecurity issues and preventative measures through educational workshops, webinars and resources.
Agriculture Victoria and the state’s livestock advisory committees developed the grant program which is funded through duties generated by the sale of cattle, sheep, goat and pigs and their carcasses in Victoria, and beekeeper registration fees.
Developing evidence-based guidelines for liver fluke infection in cattle
The University of Melbourne (UoM)
This project aims to develop evidence-based guidelines to manage liver fluke in Victorian cattle.
$183,200
Preparing for potential H5N1 incursions into Victorian dairy cattle
UoM
This project will investigate the on-farm transmission dynamics of H5N1 influenza in dairy cattle to identify opportunities for optimal intervention and testing strategies that can minimise the risk of and contain potential H5N1 incursion into Victorian dairy cattle
$65,128
H5N1 Milk Disinfection Studies
Dairy Australia
This project will proactively investigate the effectiveness of disinfectants (that are practically available to Victorian dairy farmers) against H5N1 and provide evidence-based advice on how to manage milk from clinically affected cows, in the event that the H5N1 subtype enters Australia and subsequently enters the National dairy herd.
$55,250