Lamb Production

WoolProducers offers Foot and Mouth Disease training course positions

Sheep Central, December 17, 2018

WPA policy manager Ashley Cooper, left, holds the torch as Western Australian veterinarian Kristine Rayner and another FMD course trainee collect and transfer vesicular fluid into a vacutainer for testing.

SHEEP and wool industry people are being urged to nominate for two fully-funded Foot and Mouth Disease training courses in Nepal in March next year.

To strengthen its commitment to FMD preparedness, peak grower body WoolProducers Australia is co-funding the course positions with the Department of Agriculture, using animal health and welfare levy funds administered by Animal Health Australia.

WoolProducers is calling for one nomination each for FMD courses on 4-8 March and 11-15 March. Nominations close on 9 January, 2019.

WPA said the real-time training for FMD in Nepal helps trainees to be better equipped to recognise and report FMD symptoms, assisting Australia in its early warning and response capacity.

Course shows implications of FMD outbreak

Participants in a recent Foot and Mouth Disease training course in Nepal.

WPA policy manager Ashley Cooper recently returned from one of the courses and valued the  opportunity to gain a better understanding of our industry roles in an FMD response, should an outbreak occur in Australia.

“Being able to learn in a practical environment really puts the theory into practice and this solidifies your knowledge better than any desk-based course.

“I would encourage any industry person who may assist in an emergency animal disease response with a connection to the Australian wool industry to apply,” Mr Cooper said.

The courses are designed for producers, stock handlers, private and government vets and animal health policy makers, and are delivered by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

“FMD is something that all producers hear about, but this training has enabled me to think about what an outbreak would actually mean in an Australian context,” Mr Cooper said.

“The course opened my eyes to the wider policies surrounding an FMD response in Australia and how they will impact, not just on-farm activities, but the whole livestock supply-chain, including the devastating implications for trade.”

WPA remains committed to FMD preparedness and has sent wool industry representatives, including producers, agents and private vets from all sheep producing states in Australia as part of this funding round. Further information in the FMD training can be acquired by emailing [email protected]

Source: WoolProducers Australia.

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