Queensland state government launches major foot-and-mouth disease campaign

A major foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) awareness campaign was launched by the Queensland state government on Thursday to help maintain Australia's FMD-free status.

Queensland state agriculture minister Leanne Donaldson said in a statement raising awareness of the disease and taking steps to prevent it entering and spreading were critical.

"An FMD incident anywhere in Australia would result in the immediate closure of our valuable livestock export markets and as Queensland has the largest beef industry in the country, we stand to lose the most," Donaldson said.

Donaldson noted Queensland's proximity to the Asia-Pacific region made the state Australia's front line for biosecurity.

"We are vulnerable to many pests and diseases due to our climate and geography and with such a significant tourism industry we can never afford to drop our guard," Donaldson explained.

"International travellers and goods have been known to introduce pests and diseases."

Queensland state exported just over 5 billion Australian dollars (3.73 billion U.S. dollars) worth of beef in the past financial year to more than 80 countries.

It was noted an outbreak of the disease could cost Australia more than 52 billion Australian dollars (38.79 billion U.S. dollars) in lost revenue over 10 years.

"FMD is one of the biggest biosecurity threats we face," Donaldson said.

"It is highly contagious with the potential to spread rapidly between cloven-hoofed livestock including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer, camels, llamas and alpacas."