Alerts

On 8 March 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was notified of an official report of an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Kisbajcs, Hungary. To help mitigate the risk of FMD spreading, a 3 km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the impacted site has been established, which also comprises territory in neighbouring Slovakia. On 21 March 2025, an FMD outbreak was also officially reported in Slovakia.

To help manage the biosecurity risk to Australia, both Hungary and Slovakia have been removed from the applicable country lists that require FMD freedom.

What happens next:
Peat can continue to be imported into Australia from Hungary or Slovakia provided all biosecurity import conditions can be met. This includes the requirement that the peat not be sourced from an area:

• in which FMD has occurred in the past 12-months or
• within a three (3) kilometre radius of an FMD affected property.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers and brokers who have imported or plan to import peat to Australia from Hungary or Slovakia since 3 February 2025.

Further information:
More information about FMD can be found on the department’s website.

Please contact the department by phone 1800 900 090 or email to imports@aff.gov.au if you have any questions.