September 5, 2013

A Victorian couple has been fined a total of $89,000 for bringing cattle into Queensland without complying with entry requirements.

Agriculture Minister John McVeigh said the case served as a reminder to landholders, stockowners, agents and livestock transporters of their obligations in maintaining Queensland’s Bovine Johne’s Disease (BJD) “Protected Zone” status.

“Anyone moving stock from other states needs to ensure they fully comply with our health checks and reporting requirements under the Act and that particularly applies to BJD,” Mr McVeigh said.

He said the State Government was determined to maintain Queensland’s “Protected Zone” status for BJD to protect the health of the State’s beef and dairy herds and ensure continued access to important domestic and export markets.

“With the help of industry, we’re making good headway in eradicating the major BJD outbreak first identified at a stud property near Rockhampton last November,” he said.

“The number of properties remaining under movement restrictions is now 35 – well down from the initial 170 trace-forward properties across Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.”

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