The webinar heard a description of the disease threat and advice on farm biosecurity plans from Victorian chief veterinary officer Graeme Cooke.
Participants asked more than 50 questions of Dr Cooke and fellow veterinary officer Jeff Cave.
The federal and state governments have increased border security and implemented precautionary plans following the outbreak of food and mouth disease in Indonesia.
Australia is free from the disease, but estimates are that any outbreak would have an $80 billion impact on agriculture.
The Victorian Government's emergency animal disease taskforce will focus on bolstering Agriculture Victoria's workforce to help manage the potential social, economic and environmental threats posed by foot and mouth.
More than 300 Agriculture Victoria staff are undertaking foot and mouth disease-specific training, scenario planning and emergency exercises.
Victorian Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney said biosecurity and the protection of agriculture, the economy and the natural environment was everyone's responsibility.
“Risk assessment and preparedness is key in ensuring we’re best placed to respond if there is a positive detection in livestock in Victoria — and we're doing the work now to protect our industry,” she said.
A second seminar on foot and mouth disease will be run on Thursday from 7pm: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/event-listing?result_515616_result_page=3
Keep up to date with free updates about foot and mouth disease, on the Country News website: www.countrynews.com.au
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