Advocacy in Action | Biosecurity
Few words carry as much weight for Queensland horticulture as biosecurity. The stakes are clear: one unchecked pest or disease could shut down a $3 billion sector overnight. Growers already invest heavily in on-farm biosecurity, acting as both the first and last line of defence. But they cannot, and should not, shoulder this responsibility alone. QFVG has been vocal in pressing governments to match growers’ commitment with a system that is better resourced, more coordinated, and genuinely effective.
This year, QFVG joined with the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF), Cotton Australia, Canegrowers, and the Local Government Association Queensland (LGAQ) to push political parties to adopt a whole-of government approach to biosecurity. Fire ants, feral pigs, fall armyworm - pests do not respect crop types or boundaries, and neither should the solutions. We have consistently highlighted the urgent need for stronger regional investment, clearer lines of accountability, and an elevation of biosecurity across all government portfolios.
For growers, the urgency became very real with the first Australian detection of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). This virus has serious implications for tomatoes, capsicums, and chillies, threatening crop health and market access.
The detection of Varroa mite - a destructive honeybee parasite - has been another stark reminder of Queensland horticulture’s biosecurity risks. With so many crops dependent on pollination, the potential impact on yields, quality, and supply is immense. In the year ahead, QFVG will step up support for growers through a new initiative focused on this emerging threat: engaging pollination-reliant growers across the state, delivering practical education on the mite’s life cycle and its on-farm impacts, and fostering closer collaboration between growers and beekeepers to help secure reliable pollination services.
The lesson is consistent across all incursions: prevention is the preferred option always. Growers are doing their part, but safeguarding Queensland’s farms, communities, and economy requires a system that truly shares responsibility. That’s why QFVG continues to press for a model where risk creators - particularly importers - and the broader public contribute their fair share.
Queensland growers are committed to strong biosecurity, and QFVG is committed to ensuring they are backed by a system that is fit for today’s risks and that means elevating biosecurity from a farm-level responsibility to a whole-of-government, whole-of-community priority, exactly where it needs to be.
