Agricultural biosecurity

Abstract

The prevention and control of new pest and disease introductions is an agricultural challenge which is attracting growing public interest. This interest is in part driven by an impression that the threat is increasing, but there has been little analysis of the changing rates of biosecurity threat, and existing evidence is equivocal. Traditional biosecurity systems for animals and plants differ substantially but are beginning to converge. Bio-economic modelling of risk will be a valuable tool in guiding the allocation of limited resources for biosecurity. The future of prevention and management systems will be strongly influenced by new technology and the growing role of the private sector. Overall, today's biosecurity systems are challenged by changing national priorities regarding trade, by new concerns about environmental effects of biological invasions and by the question 'who pays?'. Tomorrow's systems may need to be quite different to be effective. We suggest three changes: an integration of plant and animal biosecurity around a common, proactive, risk-based approach; a greater focus on international cooperation to deal with threats at source; and a commitment to refocus biosecurity on building resilience to invasion into agroecosystems rather than building walls around them.

Figure 1

Predicted annual benefits of complete exclusion of (a) potato ring rot, Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus and (b) Newcastle disease virus from the UK over 10-, 20- and 30-year time horizons, giving average values and 95% CIs. See text for explanation data from Waage et al. (2005) and Cook et al. (2006).

Figure 2

Predicted annual benefits of complete exclusion of a plant disease under two hypothetical scenarios. This is based on the potato ring rot model in figure 1 (control case). In the ‘trade liberalization scenario’, increased trade raises the probability of disease introduction and reduces the level of local production. In the ‘new technology’ a new potato variety is developed with substantial resistance to the disease. See text for further explanation. Adapted from Cook et al. (2006).