Focus on cattle tick welcomed

NSW Farmers Cattle Committee chair Tony Hegarty says the appointment of a new biosecurity commissioner is vital to ensure work on important issues such as cattle tick continue.

On Friday Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty announced Dr Katherine Clift had been appointed as the state’s new Independent Biosecurity Commissioner. As part of the announcement, Ms Moriarty said one of the first priorities would be to provide advice on the state’s Cattle Tick Program, which had been in place for more than 100 years to protect the state’s livestock along the Queensland border from cattle tick, where it was an established pest.

Mr Hegarty said the commissioner’s review of the Cattle Tick Program was essential and followed strong advocacy by NSW Farmers to ensure the state remained cattle tick free.

“Cattle ticks are a nasty pest, and we’ve heard real concern about them from our members up north,” Mr Hegarty said.

“We know the annual cost of cattle ticks is in the hundreds of millions, and that’s why eradication of cattle ticks from NSW must remain the objective of this program. 

“The commissioner will need to genuinely consult with cattle producers along the Queensland border, particularly east of the Great Dividing Range, and NSW Farmers looks forward to working with the commissioner during the review so she gets a clear picture of what’s needed on the ground.”

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development reported the national cost of cattle ticks was $160 million each year, and $30 million annually in NSW alone.

“This program must be appropriately resourced and funded to ensure that cattle ticks do not cross the border into NSW,” Mr Hegarty said.

“The fact this program is more than 100 years old is proof that proper biosecurity controls can work if they’re appropriately resourced and taken seriously by all involved.

“The program must protect industry from the significant trade, market, economic, biosecurity, and animal health and welfare threats that cattle ticks create.”