Northern Tablelands MP expresses concern in keeping Australia Foot and Mouth Disease free

Last week he wrote to the Commonwealth and state agriculture ministers expressing concerns for the region's cattle producers and requesting immediate action to keep the country free of FMD.

"I am astounded and gravely concerned about the seeming lack of attention the immediate threat of FMD is receiving," Mr Marshall said.

"This is as serious as it gets in terms of threats to our cattle industry and no actions - including travel bans - should be spared in the effort of keep FMD out of our country," he said.

A confirmed outbreak of the bovine disease confirmed in Indonesia - the closest FMD has been to Australian shores since 1986 - has the region's cattle producers and agents watching on with great trepidation.

"Producers (are) incredibly worried and asking the obvious questions, are we prepared and what's being done to stop it getting into Australia?" Mr Marshall said.

"The cattle industry here in the Northern Tablelands is conservatively worth around $1 billion each year to our local economy, once you factor in value of stock, those employed in the industry and the value of the unique stud genetics, built up over the last 100 years, you cannot replace what we have here.

"FMD, once in, would be absolutely devastating and send our producers, still recovering from drought, to the wall."

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Mr Marshall said after discussing the threat with dozens of the region's producers, he'd written to the ministers urgently requesting the strengthening of biosecurity efforts.

"With thousands of Australians travelling to Bali and other parts of Indonesia over winter, additional safeguards must urgently be put in place to protect the health of livestock, our farmers' livelihoods and the future of our agriculture sector.

"Our farmers need reassurance everything is being done by governments at all levels to avoid a catastrophic incursion and keep FMD out.

"This has to include the immediate implementation of thorough biosecurity inspections of all travellers arriving from anywhere in Indonesia, with particular emphasis on any contact with animals, rural areas and their footwear.

"Australia has been free of FMD since 1872, due to our strict quarantine and biosecurity protocols and now we have to be

"Make no mistake, if FMD gets in, it will almost certainly destroy the cattle industry, as we know it. We must do everything we can to stop it reaching our shores."

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