Budding ‘biosecurity intelligence officers’ have the opportunity to earn their ‘badge’, by visiting the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development display at this year’s Perth Royal Show.
Protecting our agriculture industries and planning our food for the future are the two key themes of the department’s interactive display this year.
Located in the Farm 2 Food exhibit, the display has a wealth of interesting information and interactive displays for both adults and children.
Department acting deputy director general Mark Sweetingham said the work done by the department’s Quarantine WA service at our interstate borders was vital in protecting our agriculture and food industries from harmful pests, diseases and weeds.
“Everyone can become a ‘biosecurity intelligence officer’ and learn about potential threats to agriculture, such as varroa mite, codling moth and bacterial wilt and how to report them,” Dr Sweetingham said.
“The show display will include a quarantine car filled with items you can’t bring into WA from other states, a postbox showing what must not be sent in the mail and a mini quarantine livestock yard.
“Each day, the detector dogs from the Perth Domestic Airport will visit the show to demonstrate their role in sniffing out potential threats.”
Planning for the future of our agriculture and food industries is vital.
Dr Sweetingham said part of the display would look at future foods like quinoa, the proposed Peel Food Zone, other locally grown foods and WA’s top agriculture and food exports.
“The augmented reality sandbox will also be there to allow visitors to get hands-on and move the soil around to see how water flows over landscapes and underground,” he said.
You will find the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in the Silver Jubilee Pavilion on the western side of the showgrounds, near Gate 5.