Warning for food scrap diseases

Victoria’s chief veterinary officer has urged people using mild autumn weather to go on camping trips, often to distant wilderness areas, to carefully dispose of food scraps.

Dr Charles Milne said consumption of food scraps by domestic or wild pigs had the potential to introduce exotic animal diseases to Australia.

Dr Milne said Australia had a warning earlier this year when pork products seized at the national border tested positive for African swine fever and footand-mouth disease viruses.

“It’s not enough to rely on biosecurity inspections to stop potential pests and disease threats at the border,” he said.

“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility and we all need to help protect our agriculture, our economy and our unique natural environment.”

Dr Milne said the act of feeding – intentionally or not – infected meat scraps to pigs was one of the most likely ways an exotic disease could be come into to Australia.

“It is illegal to feed pigs waste food, meat, or animal product infected food, in Australia,” he said.

“This is a consideration not just for pig farmers or pet pig owners, but everyone when they’re in an environment where wild or domestic pigs can access their food scraps.”

Dr Milne said people could find out more about notifiable animal diseases on website agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture /pests-diseases-and-weeds/ animal-diseases.

People can make a disease report to all-hours Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888.