Wagga-based innovation hub recognised as biosecurity leader at national awards

Southern NSW Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub Director Cindy Cassidy. Photo: Supplied.

The Wagga-based Southern NSW Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub has picked up a gong at the 2024 Australian Biosecurity Awards in Canberra.

The hub was awarded the top prize in the community category for its ‘Managing Biosecurity Risks’ project which they believe has the potential to enhance systems and strategies across the country.

Director Cindy Cassidy said it was great to see the team’s hard work and commitment recognised.

“The Southern NSW Innovation Hub is absolutely thrilled to receive this important award from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on behalf of the project partners who were integral to its success,” she said.

“This is the first time we’ve entered in these national awards so it’s very special.

“This formal recognition is truly a great endorsement of the hub’s ability to identify and develop truly impactful projects that enhance drought resilience and agricultural innovation.”

Based at CSU’s Wagga campus, the hub was launched in 2021 with the aim of increasing climate resilience among farmers, improving soil health, promoting water-efficient farming, and enhancing community planning for drought preparedness.

The Managing Biosecurity Risks project was a collaborative effort working with the community and primary producers in southern NSW to explore ways to increase the tracking speeds of potential biosecurity threats in the region.

A digital check-in/check-out app was used by the NSW wine industry across the Tumbarumba, Canberra, Orange and Mudgee grape growing regions.

Ms Cassidy said the ‘Track & Trace’ pilot program assessed whether tracking could be streamlined using live tracing data and whether it improved the response to potential biosecurity threats.

“NSW Wine, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Onside and the hub team all came together on Track & Trace with an absolute commitment that we could achieve better biosecurity outcomes if we engaged the supply chain and community in preparedness activities,” Ms Cassidy said.

“The project demonstrated how we can create value and opportunity for community members to be more aware of biosecurity risks and be more active in managing them.

“The bonus was that through this initiative we recognised its national applicability.”

Ms Cassidy said collaboration was key to the project’s success.

“In the Orange region, we brought together stakeholders from across all levels of government, community groups, and locals from the tourism wine, horticulture and livestock industries to develop and test how communities could use the regional framework to ensure effective preparedness for biosecurity incursions,” she said.

“I am delighted this award also acknowledges the hub’s ‘Biosecurity Preparedness in Southern NSW Investment Framework’ which highlights the need for communities to be actively involved in biosecurity and using local knowledge to develop and implement biosecurity activities.”