Program Overview

Strategies and Expectations 2008-09

Key strategies for 2008-09

• Assess the risk posed to industry and human health by peri-urban producers and alternative distribution systems (such as farmer's markets)
• Develop a framework for or a generic approach to codes of practice for on-farm biosecurity and food integrity that promotes step-wise improvement
• Scope the likely future market demands for track and trace and communicate to small industries their need to address these issues in their industry
• Develop/identify and adapt technologies to support track and trace systems that will be effective in small industries
  

Expected key outputs for 2008-09

• Assessment of the threat that rice blast poses to the Australian rice industry completed
• Development of techniques of infrared and raman microspectroscopic analysis of food, enabling rapid analysis of large quantities of food for foreign matter, an invaluable tool in the event of bio-terrorism
• Publication of the research report on Assessment and Communication of Risk in Agricultural Quarantine Issues
  

Expected key outcomes for 2008-09

• Understanding by rice industry of the threat that rice blast poses
• Early detection of potential biohazards enabled through better understanding of the value of infrared and raman microscopy in rapid analysis in assessing foreign matter in food
• Useful information to inform enhanced policy development resulting from Assessment and Communication of Risk in Agricultural Quarantine Issues