The devastating foot and mouth disease, which threatens to decimate Australia’s livestock industry, has been detected in goods coming into Australia from both Indonesia and China.

The pork products from China tested positive to the livestock disease during routine retail surveillance in Melbourne. A passenger travelling from Indonesia has also been intercepted with a beef product, which contained viral fragments.

Tony Seabrook, President, WA Pastoralists and Graziers Association told Oliver Peterson on Perth Live that this disease is becoming his worst nightmare as today signals the first day of a potential agriculture catastrophe.

“The really big thing here is that this virus has to be brought into the country by people. So what’s happening now is everyone is becoming more aware and we need to become more vigilant,” he told Oly.

“If everyone travelling from overseas is vigilant and careful, it won’t come here. But it’s that one mistake and it’s here, which could result in the slaughter of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of animals.”

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