Aussies Told To Do Their Part To Stop The Spread Of Foot And Mouth Disease

Farmers are urging Aussies to do their part to keep Foot and Mouth disease out of Australia.

Australians in Bali are being told to throw out their thongs before returning to Australia to help slow the spreading of Foot and Mouth disease.

Australian Agriculture Minister Murray Watt is set to travel to Indonesia to discuss the country’s response to the highly contagious Foot and Mouth disease.

The disease was recently detected on the archipelago before spreading to Bali last week.

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National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson will also be attending the meeting alongside Australia chief vet Mark Schipp to come up with a strategy to help Indonesia combat the disease.

According to experts, if the disease crosses over to Australia, it could cost the agricultural industry up to $80 billion.

Ms Simson told AAP those who throw out their shoes before arriving back in Australia will be given a voucher to put towards a new pair.

"Foot and mouth disease loves to hitchhike on shoes," she said.

"That means your dirty old holiday pluggers could be the thing that brings this disaster to our shores.

"We need travellers to be aware that they could inadvertently bring this virus in on their shoes, or on their clothing, or on goods they might bring into Australia."

Airports have cracked down on biosecurity following the outbreak of the disease in Bali with sniffer dogs present at a number of Australian airports.

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