Harvest Crew Biosecurity: Plan the Move Between Farms

Source checked: 18 September 2026. Victoria. General information; assess the circumstances of the actual work.

A crew transfer involves more than arranging a vehicle and a start time. Soil on boots, equipment in a tray and an unclear entry point can undermine the receiving property’s biosecurity arrangements. Ask for the farm’s requirements before the crew leaves its previous site.

Confirm the arrival arrangement

Agriculture Victoria’s visitor guidance recommends checking with the owner before arrival, arriving with clean clothing and footwear, keeping vehicles and equipment clean and using designated parking. It also recommends recording visitors and cleaning before moving to another property. Specific property instructions and applicable movement controls need to be checked separately.

Give the supervisor one clear instruction sheet

A practical crew handover should identify the arrival contact, approved entrance, parking place and required cleaning arrangements. Confirm who supplies cleaning materials and where equipment can be dealt with. Avoid assuming that a wash-down point is available merely because another farm had one. Tell the receiving contact what equipment is coming so that questions can be resolved in advance.

Make departure part of the job plan

In a hypothetical two-farm day, the first property’s work ends just before the second property expects the crew. If the transfer schedule leaves no time for cleaning or sign-out, the plan has created an avoidable conflict. Include those activities in the agreed sequence and clarify the relevant working-time arrangements rather than leaving the crew to improvise.

Keep records useful and controlled

Record the information the property reasonably needs for tracing visits and follow its handling arrangements. Do not circulate visitor contact details to a general crew chat. At the next transfer, check whether the route, equipment or property instructions have changed. A familiar farm still needs its current entry requirements followed.

Official guidance and related reading

Agriculture Victoria guidance. For the wider planning process, see Orchard Tech’s harvest workforce checklist.

About the author

Hari Yellina is Chief Executive Officer at Orchard Tech. His articles cover agricultural workforce planning, labour hire and practical workplace responsibilities.

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