![Cattle Compensation advisory committee chair and Nagambie producer Ron Harris has welcomed the latest round of funding for biosecurity control. Picture supplied Cattle Compensation advisory committee chair and Nagambie producer Ron Harris has welcomed the latest round of funding for biosecurity control. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7f5GEYimwWveccZe67yRBS/02ec5d50-7a74-4761-8dc6-d2318a3ce33f.png/r0_145_1555_1019_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Victoria's livestock industries will benefit from $8.1 million from the Livestock Biosecurity Fund grants program.
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Agriculture Victoria has announced 21 projects, delivered by six Victorian organisations, will receive funding to prevent, monitor and control pests and diseases.
The cattle, sheep and goat, swine and honeybee sectors would receive the grants.
Agriculture Victoria acting executive director Angela Brierley said that the organisation worked closely with the livestock compensation advisory committees in the administration of the Livestock Biosecurity Fund Grants program.
"Each application is reviewed by the relevant advisory committee who then make recommendations to the minister," Ms Brierley said.
"This demonstrates the collaboration and shared responsibility between government and industry in biosecurity."
The grants were funded from the four Livestock Compensation Funds - cattle, sheep and goat, swine and honeybee industries - with duties and registration fees collected reinvested back into industry.
"The committees were looking for projects that provide innovative solutions, use emerging technologies and resolve livestock biosecurity issues," Ms Brierley said.
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The Victorian Farmers Federation will receive an additional $365,000 from the Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund to support the popular producer-led Stock Sense Livestock program to December 2024.
The program helps Victorian livestock producers adopt animal health and production practices that improve animal welfare and Victoria's biosecurity status.
South-west saleyard facility, CRLX, Corangamite, will receive $45,000 for an enhanced traceability initiative that will provide surveillance and early detection of all untracked cattle movements throughout the facility.
CRLX has 25,000 head of cattle a year passing through the facility for sales, regional and interstate travel and exports.
Funded government projects include trials to improve outcomes during a Foot-and-Mouth Disease incursion, the Significant Disease Investigation programs, community pig control and surveillance, and the prevention of anthrax.
Other grant recipients include Victorian Apiarist Association, University of Melbourne and Federation University Australia.
Cattle Compensation advisory committee chair and Nagambie producer, Ron Harris, said the funding helped industry meet emerging challenges at a time of significant biosecurity risks and threats.
"A great initiative that continues to be funded is the allocation of a further $5.6 million to support the continuation of subsidies for the National Livestock Identification System tags for both sheep and cattle - greatly reducing the costs of tags for producers," Mr Harris said.
"This subsidy along with the Agriculture Victoria tendering process has led to Victorian producers having the cheapest cattle tags in Australia."
Previously funded projects include La Trobe University developing a rapid, highly sensitive field based, early identification technology to detect sheep lice in sheep, potentially resulting in significant savings to the sheep industry.
For more information and the full list of successful recipients visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestockbiosecurityfunds