Farm Biosecurity

Farm Biosecurity

Farm biosecurity is a critical responsibility, and all visitors must comply with landholder instructions to minimise biosecurity risks both on and off the property. For conservation volunteers, vehicle hygiene—covering cars, quad bikes, ATVs, and motorbikes—is the primary focus of biosecurity risk management.

Depending on the biosecurity status of a property and any protocols in place, footwear and clothing may also require particular attention. Diseases, pests, and weeds can be introduced to, and spread within, a property via equipment and vehicles, either directly or through contaminated soil, plant material, or manure. Maintaining good equipment hygiene and ensuring all vehicles entering a property are clean and well maintained is essential to protecting farm biosecurity.

Vehicle Hygiene

Vehicle tyres, undercarriages, grills, floors and trays can carry diseases, pests and weeds in soil, plant material and manure. A basic ‘where-to-clean’ list is provided below that can be adapted to any vehicle that a SSAA member may use while visiting and/or undertaking pest control activities on a property..

The information above has been adapted from the Australian Defence Force military equipment & personnel: guidelines for offshore inspection and the Australian Department of Agriculture’s machinery cleaning guides and checklists.