Fighting the exotic mosquito menace

“The weather and access to workers is part of this, but there needs to be a concerted effort from everyone in the supply chain to ensure dairying can be a proftable business into the future.

“We’re seeing increased imported dairy products such as butter and cheese on the supermarket shelves, meaning Aussie families are missing out on great local products.”

For NSW producers, dairy giant Saputo opened with slightly higher prices than last season at $11.35/kgMS, while Norco was up to about $12.22/kgMS in the north. Lactalis was down to $10.70/kgMS in the south of the state, and $11.26 in the north – something Mr Holm said would need to rise in coming weeks.

“We’re really thankful for the support shown by Aussie families over the past few years after the destructive dollar-alitre milk debacle,” Mr Holm said.

“What we need now are government policies and decisions that support – not hurt – dairy farmers, such as reversing the recent federal budget announcements of rises in heavy vehicle road charges and increased levies.

“Ultimately it’s Australian families who will pay the price of these decisions –either at the checkout or through a lack of choice in the future.”

Sydney’s warm and wet weather over the past year has kept Australia’s frontline biosecurity offcers busy in the fght against mosquito-borne diseases.

More than half of all exotic mosquitoes detected through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s national vector monitoring program in 2022 were associated with aircraft and cargo arrivals through Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.

From January 2022 to January 2023, the department’s vector monitoring offcers and biosecurity offcers detected 24 exotic mosquitoes across the country and 14 of those were found in Sydney. In the same period the previous year there were just three detections in Sydney and a national total of 18 detections.

Deputy Secretary, Biosecurity and Compliance Group, Dr Chris Locke said the vector monitoring program plays a major role in intercepting mosquitoes, many of which can transmit serious diseases.

“The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can transmit yellow fever and dengue fever, was detected in a sentinel trap by a Vector Surveillance Offcer on 27 March 2023 during routine monitoring activities at Sydney’s international airport,” said Dr Locke. “While Australia is free of yellow fever and many other serious mosquito-borne diseases, monitoring and interception programs at entry points remains a critical line of defence.

“Surveillance is carried out at First Point of Entry airports, seaports and nominated Approved Arrangements around Australia and includes the regular monitoring of mosquito traps as well as dipping larvae habitats to capture immature mosquitoes.

“Exotic mosquitoes tend to arrive in Australia via baggage and cargo containers carried in the holds of aircraft travelling primarily from Southeast

Asian airports. They are also found as larvae in pooling water within imported goods, especially imported tyres and break-bulk equipment.” Fogging, which involves using a fne insecticide spray directed by a blower, in conjunction with residual surface insecticide treatments was carried out after every detection and was followed by extensive surveillance through trapping.

No further exotic mosquitoes were detected at Sydney Airport following the insecticide response treatments.