Cattle Council President Markus Rathsmann said the investment would help secure the safety and prosperity of the beef industry, the environment and the wider community.

“Everyone benefits from a high-quality and robust biosecurity system,” Mr Rathsmann said.

“We’re certainly pleased with this response to the industry’s ongoing calls for better biosecurity.

“Australia’s unique pest and disease-free status underpins the profits and productivity of the beef sector.

“This will also help maintain Australian beef’s reputation as a premium product, both at home and overseas.

“This suite of measures will better identify biosecurity risks and putting our resources to better use.

“These measures will help protect Australia’s cattle producers from things like foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin disease.

“Good biosecurity is not just a rural issue; it also means a clean and reliable food supply for all Australians and our overseas markets that demand a clean and safe product.

“It also helps maintain our way of life – we don’t want to see a repeat of something like the fire ant outbreak in South East Queensland.

“This will be a welcome boost over the next four years, and we will continue to work with the Federal Government to secure ongoing funding for these measures.

“This is certainly a good first step that will make a real difference for producers.”