| Welcome to the Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) Biosecurity Report, your one-stop update on the latest operational issues and notices issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). This report is designed to keep you informed and prepared to manage biosecurity compliance effectively in an ever-changing landscape.
This Week in Biosecurity
The Kimberley Marine Support Base has been granted Biosecurity Entry Point status, improving access for internationally flagged vessels and strengthening northern Australia's port capability ahead of the 2026 peak season, while the detection of Lumpy Skin Disease in Bali reinforces the need for continued vigilance as regional animal disease risks evolve.
At a policy level, consultation has opened on Victoria's Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan, and preparations are underway for ABARES Outlook 2026, where global and domestic leaders will examine emerging agricultural and trade trends.
Complementing these developments, new detection technologies supported through the Department's Traceability Grants Program are exposing food fraud risks in imported food supply chains, alongside the release of the Department's November 2025 Failing Food Report, which identifies multiple imported foods failing safety and compliance testing under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme.
We hope you enjoy this week's report.
Summary - Kimberley Marine Support Base granted Biosecurity Entry Point status
The Kimberley Marine Support Base (KMSB) has been granted Biosecurity Entry Point status, allowing internationally flagged vessels to access the facility directly without first clearing biosecurity at another Australian port.
This approval removes the need for vessels to divert to alternative entry points, delivering estimated cost savings of $80,000–$100,000 per vessel and improving operational efficiency. The designation is a key step toward achieving First Point of Entry (FPOE) status, which is expected to be progressed in stages over the next 6–18 months.
Once FPOE approval is expanded, KMSB will be able to receive vessels carrying specific products and manage unloading and biosecurity controls on-site under approved processes, including inspection, cleaning or fumigation where required.
The approval supports KMSB's growing role in servicing agriculture, live cattle exports, general cargo, cruise vessels, regional communities such as Broome, and offshore resource operations. The facility has demonstrated the capability to load large cattle vessels significantly faster than traditional ports.
The Biosecurity Entry Point status strengthens northern Australia's port capacity, reduces reliance on southern ports, and supports more efficient regional and international supply chains ahead of the 2026 peak season. - Lumpy Skin Disease Detected in Bali
Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has been confirmed in Bali, bringing renewed focus to Australia's biosecurity preparedness for this serious cattle disease. While Australia remains free from LSD, the detection places the disease within approximately 1,200km of the mainland, underscoring the importance of continued vigilance.
LSD is a vector-borne viral disease affecting cattle and buffalo that can have significant animal health, livestock movement and trade impacts if detected in Australia. Ongoing surveillance, border controls and preparedness planning remain critical as the regional risk continues to evolve.
Further information, including Australia's preparedness measures and the National Lumpy Skin Disease Action Plan, is available via the Departments website HERE. - ABARES Outlook 2026 – Global Leaders Set the Agenda
With less than two months to go, anticipation is building for ABARES Outlook 2026, Australia's premier forum on agriculture, food and resource economics.
The opening session will feature Máximo Torero, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, appearing in person as keynote speaker. Máximo will also join Dr Jared Greenville, Executive Director of ABARES, for a fireside chat titled Global horizons: An outlook for agriculture in Australia and beyond.
This opening morning conversation will explore the key global and domestic trends shaping the future of agriculture, setting the tone for two days of high-level, forward-looking discussion.
Dates: 3–4 March 2026
Location: Hotel Realm and online
Registrations are now open via the Department's website. - Consultation Opens on Victoria's Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan
The Victorian Government has opened consultation on the Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan, outlining how the state will deliver actions under Victoria's Biosecurity Strategy to manage the risks and impacts of pests and diseases.
The Plan sets out clear activities, roles and timelines to support delivery of the Strategy's five strategic goals and 20 priority actions, with a focus on partnerships, prevention, response, management and system enablers. It recognises that biosecurity threats such as H5N1 avian influenza, red imported fire ants and varroa mite are dynamic and require coordinated, adaptive and collaborative approaches.
Developed through co-design with more than 60 stakeholders from government, industry, Traditional Owner Corporations and community groups, the Plan aims to deliver a resilient and inclusive biosecurity system that protects Victoria's economy, environment, health and cultural heritage.
Consultation is open to all stakeholders via Engage Victoria, with submissions closing 31 March 2026. - New Detection Technology Exposes Food Fraud Risks in Imported Food Supply Chains
Food fraud remains a growing global risk, with imported foods particularly vulnerable to mislabelling, substitution and contamination due to long and complex supply chains. While Australia's domestic food production is tightly regulated, around 60% of seafood consumed in Australia is imported, significantly increasing exposure to fraud risks.
According to experts, food fraud involves the deliberate misrepresentation of a product's origin or quality for economic gain and is estimated to cost Australia up to $3 billion annually, with high-risk categories including seafood, honey and wine. Globally, losses are estimated at up to $73 billion per year, alongside serious food safety implications.
Researchers at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) are using advanced scientific techniques to verify the origin of food products, including imported seafood. By analysing an environmental "fingerprint" using stable isotopes, trace elements and machine-learning models, scientists can determine whether products labelled as Australian are in fact sourced offshore, or whether cheaper imports have been substituted for premium goods.
This work, supported through the Department's Traceability Grants Program, highlights the increasing importance of provenance verification for imported foods entering the Australian market. The technology has already identified widespread mislabelling in imported products, including seafood and native food powders falsely sold as Australian-sourced.
With food contamination contributing to millions of illnesses each year in Australia, and World Health Organization estimates of 600 million global foodborne illnesses annually, the findings reinforce the need for stronger traceability, compliance oversight and technology-enabled verification across imported food supply chains. We touched on the grant program in last week's report, you can find that segment HERE. - Imported Food – Failing Food Report (November 2025)
The Department has today released its latest Failing Food Report for November 2025, outlining imported food consignments that did not meet requirements under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme. The report identifies a range of surveillance and risk foods that failed testing against the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, including detections of non-permitted additives, excessive chemical residues, aflatoxins, hydrocyanic acid, salmonella and prohibited plant material. Where failures occur, the Department may apply holding orders or increased inspection rates until an acceptable compliance history is established, reinforcing ongoing risk-based oversight of imported food safety.
Products listed include farm-raised frozen tilapia from Taiwan, various snacks and granolas, pistachio products, tapioca chips and fruit/vegetable imports that either contained non-permitted additives (e.g. vitamins), excess chemical residues (e.g. chlorpyrifos), aflatoxin above permitted levels, hydrocyanic acid, or prohibited plant material, and salmonella in black sesame seeds. Read the full report HERE.
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