Steakholder spotlight: Animal Health Australia

A background as a practising veterinarian both overseas and in Australia, followed by a stint at the NSW Department of Primary Industries, set Rob Barwell up well for his role as Head of Program, Biosecurity at Animal Health Australia (AHA). 

“AHA is a member-based service provider that works in collaboration with our members (including peak industry bodies and all governments) to deliver animal health and biosecurity programs that benefit the Australian livestock industry, including the beef industry,” Rob said.

Everyone has a role to play

In recognition of challenges facing the industry in recent times, particularly the appearance of foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease in Indonesia in 2022, Rob said it’s important for everyone to do their part. 

“After these diseases appeared in Indonesia a few years ago, it really highlighted to everyone how important biosecurity is both at the border and post-border.”

Rob pointed out that protecting the health of the Australian beef industry requires coordinated action. 

“Every step of the supply chain has a role to protect the industry. Governments to industry bodies, right down to producers, agents and processors – everyone need to be doing their part.” 

Thinking big picture

For Rob and AHA, sustainability is a big-picture concept focused on long-term resilience and fairness across the livestock industry.

“Sustainability is about doing things that consider long-term productivity, environmental health and equity in the system. Everyone should benefit rather than just one component or sector coming out on top,” Rob said.  

He added that a sustainable approach enables an industry to be well-positioned for future generations to continue. 

“Sustainability is not a short-term gain for those involved – it’s about the benefit for everybody now and into the future.”

Collective progress

The Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) is an important resource for AHA, not only because of the tight link to the Best Animal Care theme, but also for highlighting the links and progress across all themes. 

“It’s pretty obvious that the work we do falls under best animal care, but for us, it’s also really great to see the progress of all the other goals and what is happening under them as well.”

Speaking to how all the themes are connected, Rob said that if any one of the themes is lagging, it has the potential to affect the others as well. 

“An example of this for biosecurity and animal health is that if you don’t have the staff there, the resources you need, it’s unlikely there will be good biosecurity outcomes. You need adequate people and systems in place to be monitoring the herd, managing the animals and implementing the required animal health procedures.”

Rob also noted that if the environment is being damaged, it’s likely more animal diseases will emerge – once again demonstrating the interconnectedness of the themes. 

Continuing a collaborative approach

Continuing to work closely and collaborate with their members to have an impact is something that AHA looks forward to. 

“Working with our members really gives us the ability to enhance our effort, share what we are learning and bring the whole livestock industry along on the biosecurity journey together.

“Bringing the peak bodies and governments together to try and solve those big issues across biosecurity – particularly emergency animal disease preparedness for Australia – is so important for our future prosperity.”