TY - JOUR
T1 - Biosecurity in multifunctional landscapes
T2 - Challenges for approaches based on the concept of ‘shared responsibility’
AU - Sinclair, Katrina
AU - Curtis, Allan
AU - Freeman, Paul
PY - 2020/5
Y1 - 2020/5
N2 - Biosecurity policy in NSW is based on the concept of ‘shared responsibility’ that emphasises small government and devolution of responsibility to stakeholders. This paper draws on a case study of the cattle tick program to illustrate the challenges for governments implementing a ‘shared responsibility’ biosecurity strategy in the multifunctional rural landscapes that are now typical of the more closely settled regions of south-eastern Australia. Agriculture may remain the dominant land use in these regions but other values underpin landownership and management for an increasing proportion of landholders who are not farmers by occupation, are disconnected from traditional producer networks, and often lack the knowledge and skills to effectively manage biosecurity threats. We describe the challenges posed by multifunctionality including a high property turnover rate, rapidly increasing rural land values, in-migration of new landholders and multiple landholder types holding different values and beliefs that influence their cattle tick management practices. We suggest ways biosecurity programs within a ‘shared responsibility’ framework can more effectively engage producers. These include negotiating with industry or a representative body the level of responsibility and management decisions being delegated, and to building the social and human capital of landholders taking into account the specific information and training needs of new and non-farmer landholders in addition to cattle tick management.
AB - Biosecurity policy in NSW is based on the concept of ‘shared responsibility’ that emphasises small government and devolution of responsibility to stakeholders. This paper draws on a case study of the cattle tick program to illustrate the challenges for governments implementing a ‘shared responsibility’ biosecurity strategy in the multifunctional rural landscapes that are now typical of the more closely settled regions of south-eastern Australia. Agriculture may remain the dominant land use in these regions but other values underpin landownership and management for an increasing proportion of landholders who are not farmers by occupation, are disconnected from traditional producer networks, and often lack the knowledge and skills to effectively manage biosecurity threats. We describe the challenges posed by multifunctionality including a high property turnover rate, rapidly increasing rural land values, in-migration of new landholders and multiple landholder types holding different values and beliefs that influence their cattle tick management practices. We suggest ways biosecurity programs within a ‘shared responsibility’ framework can more effectively engage producers. These include negotiating with industry or a representative body the level of responsibility and management decisions being delegated, and to building the social and human capital of landholders taking into account the specific information and training needs of new and non-farmer landholders in addition to cattle tick management.
KW - Cattle tick
KW - Engagement
KW - Keywords: Shared responsibility
KW - Landholders
KW - Multi-functionality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066113762&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85066113762&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.04.011
DO - 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.04.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 31147144
AN - SCOPUS:85066113762
VL - 178
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
JF - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
SN - 0167-5877
M1 - 104682
ER -