P.PSH.0899 Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Freedom Assurance Program (TSEFAP) Funding

Summary

The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Freedom Assurance Program (TSEFAP) is a program critical to Australia's ongoing claims of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) freedom within its cattle herd and is managed by Animal Health Australia (AHA). The project is funded by all Australian governments as well as a variety of industry stakeholders.
 
Australia is afforded 'negligible BSE' risk status by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) through the adoption of a resolution by the World Assembly of Delegates of the OIE at the General Session in May every year. Countries that have a disease-free status officially recognised by the OIE must submit an annual update on surveillance for BSE by the end of November every year. Australia is also considered classical scrapie-free.
 
Data from the TSEFAP underpins the information provided annually to the OIE and therefore Australia's ongoing market compliance for its cattle and sheep, and beef and sheep meat products to markets around the world, including the domestic market. This data also underpins Australia's scientifically backed restrictions on imports of cattle and beef products from countries afforded a lower BSE-related categorisation. This project addresses the grain fed beef component of the funding for the period June 2017 to June 2018.
 
All TSEFAP milestones have been met and program activities are ongoing. All sheep and cattle samples tested for the surveillance program were found to be negative for classical scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 2017-18. As a result Australia maintained its BSE negligible risk and scrapie free status with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). TSEFAP reports are available on the AHA website and data collected has been included in Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly and Animal Health in Australia 2017 reports.