Electronic identification plan for sheep to curb disease outbreaks

The detection of Foot and Mouth Disease in Melbourne is driving fears the virus could soon slip through the cracks at the Australian border.

The federal government is ramping up border security controls, introducing foot mats at airports for those returning from Indonesia.

The nation’s agriculture ministers have now agreed to introduce a national electronic identification system for sheep and goats, to improve traceability for any diseases that do make it to our shores.

I caught up with New South Wales Agriculture minister Dugald Saunders, to talk about the next steps.