Biosecurity
Biosecurity is about protecting farms, the environment, the economy, and people’s health from pests and diseases. It includes trying to prevent new pests and diseases from arriving, and helping to control outbreaks when they occur.
Cotton Australia holds the official role for biosecurity stewardship in the Australian cotton industry, and works with the Australian Government to manage this national priority through its membership of Plant Health Australia. Visit PHA's cotton page here.
This work includes:
- representation and involvement in national debates;
- policy development and implementation;
- prioritisation of resources;
- decision making;
- overseeing the Cotton Industry Biosecurity Plan;
- helping to manage incursions that affect cotton.
What to do if you suspect a problem
Biosecurity is the protection of your property, and the entire industry, from the entry, establishment and impact of exotic pests. Biosecurity measures implemented on-farm by growers play a key role in protecting the Australian cotton industry from exotic pests.
Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. If you suspect a pest incursion, call the Exotic Plant Pest Health Line on 1800 084 881 and Cotton Australia (02) 9669 5222.
Quick links
- Click here for more detailed plant biosecurity information.
- For practical advice on how to minimise the risk of pest incursions on your farm, visit the Cotton Farm Biosecurity Manual.
- For tools to help assess biosecurity risks on your property and ways to reduce them, visit here.
- For Cotton Australia’s policy on biosecurity, visit the Cotton Industry Biosecurity Statement.
- For a copy of the Cotton Industry’s Biosecurity Plan, visit the Cotton Industry Biosecurity Plan.
- Click here for a copy of the CottonInfo Come Clean Go Clean fact sheet.
- Click here for the Biosecurity risk management plan for transportation of cotton modules from Western Australia and the Northern Territory to Southern Queensland for ginning 2022
- Click here for the APVMA's emergency permit for mouse baiting chemicals in cotton crops - January 2021
Biosecurity Group
This group meets annually to discuss current industry biosecurity issues and to make sure the cotton industry’s responsibilities under the Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) Deed are met each year.
Discipline | Organisation | Representative |
Cotton production | Cotton Australia | David Walton |
Extension | CottonInfo | Sharna Holman |
Entomology | CSIRO | Wee Tek Tay |
Entomology | CSIRO | Simone Heimoana |
Entomology | DAF QLD | Paul Grundy |
Entomology | UQ | Dean Brookes |
Plant biosecurity | NSW DPI | Rebekah Pierce |
Biosecurity planning | DAF QLD | Suzy Perry |
Pathology | DAF QLD | Linda Smith |
Pathology | NSW DPI | Karen Kirkby |
Policy | Cotton Australia | Sally Ceeney |
Policy | Cotton Australia | Paul Sloman |
Research and development | CRDC | Susan Maas |
Virology | DAF QLD | Murray Sharman |
Weeds | DAF QLD | Jeff Werth |