The Western Australian cattle industry has decided to implement its own interim control measures for bovine Johne’s Disease, when the national BJD framework comes into effect from July 1.

The nationally agreed bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) Framework Document was released by Animal Health Australia on behalf of industry and government in March 2016.

The new national Framework comes into effect 1 July and shifts the management of BJD from regulatory control to an industry-focused market assurance system, in keeping with the management of other endemic diseases.

Chairman of the WA industry BJD Advisory Committee Dr David Jarvie said the prevalence of Johne’s disease in cattle in Western Australia would be low with Western Australia declared provisionally free under the old regulatory system.

Therefore the WA industry had agreed to implement interim border controls to maintain this status while considering a long term strategy for the management of BJD.

A cost benefit analysis that looks at various options from deregulation, minimal regulation to full regulation is being prepared for the industry BJD Advisory Committee to consider and assist the decision making process on any long term regulatory measures to be implemented across the state.

“Removing regulatory controls for BJD in Western Australia would inevitably lead to an increase in BJD incursions into the state,” he said.

“Given that some of Australia’s export markets are sensitive to BJD it is important to consider any economic benefits of protecting WA’s negligible BJD disease prevalence to increase access to these markets.”

The interim border controls are similar to the existing controls and will be funded by contributions to the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme as authorised under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.

Source:WA industry BJD Advisory Committee. The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia will administer the interim regulatory control measures which take effect on 1 July 2016. For more information on the interim border controls for Western Australia visit the Department of Agriculture and Food website.