---
title: "General biosecurity duty: farm compliance checklist, notification record and incident log (NSW)"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/agribusiness-and-rural-law/general-biosecurity-duty-farm-checklist"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a38-general-biosecurity-duty-farm-checklist"
area_id: "A38"
kind: "checklist"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
task_ids: ["A38-T1-R9", "A38-A20260923-2"]
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-18"
---

# General biosecurity duty: farm compliance checklist, notification record and incident log (NSW)

> A checklist for a farm business to show it is meeting the general biosecurity duty under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW): risks identified, controls in place, mandatory measures, notification duties and an incident log.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/agribusiness-and-rural-law/general-biosecurity-duty-farm-checklist  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-18

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

- Kind: Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Practice area: [Agribusiness & Rural Law](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/agribusiness-and-rural-law.md)
- Jurisdictions: New South Wales
- AI level: Yellow. AI can help in set ways. A lawyer checks specific points before use.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-18
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-18 against the 4 authorities it cites, for New South Wales.

## When to use it

Use when advising a farming client, a buyer doing due diligence, or a landowner facing a biosecurity direction or investigation in NSW. It records what the business knows about its biosecurity risks and what it does about them.

## Used for these tasks

- [Build a biosecurity and export-permit checklist](https://ailawframework.com/practice/agribusiness-and-rural-law/build-a-biosecurity-and-export-permit-checklist.md)
- [Build a biosecurity-incident chronology from the notices and farm records](https://ailawframework.com/practice/agribusiness-and-rural-law.md#A38-A20260923-2)

## How AI may be used

AI may organise farm records, notices and property plans into the checklist and incident log; the lawyer checks the legal duties that apply and the client confirms every fact before the record is relied on.

**AI may:**

- Organise property biosecurity plans, chemical and stock records, visitor logs and notices into the checklist
- Build a dated incident log from notices, emails, vet reports and farm diaries
- List mandatory measures and control orders named in notices received, for the lawyer to check

**AI must not:**

- Must not decide whether the client knew or ought reasonably to have known of a risk, or whether a duty was discharged
- Must not decide whether a matter must be notified or tell the client that notification is not needed
- Must not prepare a response to a biosecurity officer's direction or an investigation without the lawyer

**The lawyer checks:**

- The biosecurity matter, carriers and dealings on the farm are identified, and the current mandatory measures and control orders that apply are checked
- Any prohibited matter or biosecurity event suspected on the farm has been notified immediately as the regulations require
- Records support "so far as is reasonably practicable" controls for each identified risk
- If an investigation or prosecution is possible, privilege and the client's rights are protected before records are produced

## Authorities

- [Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) s 22 (general biosecurity duty) and s 23 (offence of failing to discharge it; continuing offence)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-024)
- [Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) ss 24 and 25 (mandatory measures)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-024)
- [Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) ss 30 to 32 (duty to notify prohibited matter) and ss 38 to 40 (duty to notify biosecurity events)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-024)
- [Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW) s 26 and Schedule 1 (weeds)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-024)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/agribusiness-and-rural-law/general-biosecurity-duty-farm-checklist and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*