AgQuip to ban travellers from Indonesia in bid to protect industry from foot-and-mouth disease

Just one week out from the return of AgQuip, the message to visitors is to stay away if you've been abroad.

ACM Rural Events organiser Kate Nugent said anyone who had been in Indonesia in seven days before attending the field day would be banned from entering.

"The show must go on and it will go on," she said.

"There's a lot of protocol to just help our industry and to ensure we can do everything we know to do to protect our Australian livestock industry and our breeders who will be exhibiting."

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A check in system will be in place and questioning will occur upon arrival at the gates.

Despite fears, Ms Nugent said there was still a sense of "positive confidence" among stakeholders and exhibitors as the field day looks to celebrate its 50^th year.

COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of the event for the past two years, and Ms Nugent said she didn't expect to be at the mercy of another biosecurity risk this time around.

"We have so many stakeholders and so much at stake," she said.

"We didn't have any expectation of this, but certainly what we're goof for is understanding compliance."

The AgQuip team have been working closely with the NSW Department of Primary Industries to develop a biosecurity emergency plan which accounts for exhibitors, contractors, transport companies and visitors.

But with the belief most people in the agricultural industry would be aware of the seriousness of a potential foot-and-mouth outbreak, Ms Nugent said biosecurity messaging was being targeted at visitors.

"It's very important for us to be constant and vigilant in our messaging around the disease," she said.

"We've had constant messages of our biosecurity alerts through our social media and communications to all stakeholders."

AgQuip will run for three days starting on Tuesday August 16.

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