Biosecurity and Workers on Your Farm

Itinerant workers (workers from overseas, backpackers and grey nomads) are heavily employed by fruit growers for picking, packing and pruning. This workforce contributes enormously during harvest season but can also pose a major biosecurity risk. Being highly mobile and unaware of biosecurity, these workers may carry pests and diseases from other states or regions on equipment, clothes, soil and plant material which could spread rapidly through your crops. 

As seen with the 2007-08 equine influenza outbreak, a highly contagious disease can easily be disseminated to new areas on people, their clothing and equipment.

Most workers coming onto your property are unlikely to be aware of biosecurity and may have little concern about protecting your property in this regard.

The following biosecurity tips may minimise the risk of a weed, pest or disease making it onto your property:

• Have a designated meeting or arrival area on your property which is well away from your crop or plants. Consider holding an induction session for new workers that focuses on some simple biosecurity measures.
  
  
• Consider providing a wash-down area for cars where the wash water can be contained along with any dirt and seeds.
  
  
• Ask visitors or workers to check that they’re not carrying any seeds, grasses or other contaminants on their clothing or in their hair. Footwear is a major risk – make sure boots are free of soil, mud or seeds. A footbath with disinfectant should be used.
  
  
• Itinerant workers often have their own equipment. Make sure their equipment is clean and free of any foreign matter before using it on your plants. Wiping the equipment over with a farm-grade disinfectant is recommended.
  
  
• Consider placing signs or posters in appropriate areas on your property that will remind people to carry out the above biosecurity measures.
  
  Don't put this farm at risk! poster  PDF [191kb].  Place this biosecurity poster in work areas such as packing sheds or your worker's smoko room. 
  
  
• Keep a record. Keep a simple log of who is coming onto your property. Details you should consider recording are: date of arrival and departure; where they came from before working on your property; and possibly where they intend to go to next. Contact details such as a mobile phone number are also important. This information is crucial during a pest or disease incursion and can significantly improve the chances of containment and eradication.

Free Farm Biosecurity Material

If you would like hard copies of the 'Vital information for plant producers' brochure or the 'Don't put this farm at risk!' poster mailed to you, please send us an email providing your name, postal address and the quantities you require.

Also see:

• Biosecurity for travelling farm workers
• Biosecurity and on-farm service providers