Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program (TFAP)

Tuberculosis Free Status was achieved for Australia in December 1997. This was the culmination of a national program since 1970, the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign (BTEC). Brucellosis Free Status was achieved in 1989 and abattoir monitoring had ceased in all areas in June 1993.

South Australia now participates in an Australian program known as the Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program (TFAP). This is to ensure there is continuous monitoring for Tuberculosis (TB) in slaughter cattle and to trace the disease back to the cattle’s property of origin.

The funding basis is that States must provide operational costs for disease breakdowns, the cattle industry provides industry assistance measures, such as compensation, and the Commonwealth is providing funds to ensure that there is an adequate program to detect Tuberculosis in slaughter cattle. State expenditure on the National Granuloma Submission Program (NGSP) is fully recouped. The Commonwealth also provides the financial support for a national data base held in Queensland and for the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory in Western Australia.

TFAP is conducted by way of a Deed signed by each State Minister, the Commonwealth, the cattle industry and the Australian Animal Health Council.

TFAP ensures market access and a clean food product, an extension of its aim to remove TB as a disease risk for humans.

Contacts

The current manager of the NGSP is Ms Denice Rendell, phone 8207 7911 or

E mail: rendell.denice@saugov.sa.gov.au