True biosecurity is about more than just fences; it is about farmer-led resilience. Dr Stefan Steyn joins us to discuss the vital role of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) in connecting rural communities with the state, ensuring that producers’ interests remain a priority in national policy.
Dr Stefan Steyn has spent the last 16 years refining his expertise in the veterinary field, moving from private practice into a specialised career focused on research, biotechnology, and vaccine development. Now serving as the technical manager for Afrivet Training Services, he focuses on the intricate relationship between viruses and the immune systems of poultry and livestock.
In this episode, we delve into Steyn’s extensive experience in managing high-level biosecurity facilities and his mission to empower producers with the tools for disease prevention.
He highlights why the responsibility for animal health must begin with the individual farmer long before the state intervenes and how the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) acts as a critical facilitator in shifting the narrative toward farmer-led resilience.
“Biosecurity is basically a set of management and physical measures… designed to reduce the risk of introduction, establishment, and spread of animal disease. In an outbreak situation, a lot of that responsibility is actually with the farmer trying to protect their property and keep their animals healthy,” he says.
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Farmer-led disease prevention
Steyn explores the concept of fence-line biosecurity, advocating for a shift toward community-led defence. By adopting a neighbourhood watch model, communal and emerging farmers can form clusters to monitor animal movements and protect shared grazing areas, moving the focus from reactive treatments to sustainable, collective prevention.
The discussion also unpacks the critical role of the RPO in bridging the divide between rural communities and government authorities. Steyn emphasises that the organisation is essential in providing the education and advocacy needed to keep red meat producers’ interests at the forefront of national policy.
“They [RPO] play a key role in the coordination of events, reporting of disease; they become the link between the community and the state. It is a very important relationship to have because they can also look after the economic interests… and try to keep the interests of the producer high up in the level of government.”
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