About the Department
The Agriculture Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network is responsible for farming standards, plant and animal health and rural services across the Velocity Interoperability Network. It maintains the register of agricultural holdings, inspects holdings against the farming standards, investigates reports of notifiable disease and pests, and provides advice, training and market information to keepers and growers.
The Department was established on 6 September 2026 and took over the agricultural functions previously exercised by member organisations of the Network. At establishment its register recorded 4,218 holdings covering 312,600 hectares in five agricultural districts: the Northern Vale, the Eastfield Plain, the Westbrook Downs, the Southern Levels and the Meridian Uplands. A rural office in each district opens between 7 and 11 September 2026; opening days and hours are set out on the Rural Services page.
Organisation. The Department is organised in three services. The standards and inspection service employs the inspectors who examine holdings against the farming standards and the advisers of the farm advisory service; the two roles are kept separate so that advice can be sought freely. The animal and plant health service comprises 38 veterinary officers and 22 plant health inspectors based at the rural offices. The register and statistics service maintains the register of holdings and prepares the Department's quarterly releases. The Office of the Spokesperson issues the Department's press releases and statements.
Responsibilities. The Department's work falls into six areas.
- Farming standards
- Setting the eight standards that apply to every registered holding, inspecting holdings against them and publishing the outcomes.
- Animal health
- Maintaining the list of notifiable animal diseases, investigating every report of a suspected case within 24 hours, directing the response where a case is confirmed and carrying out surveillance testing.
- Plant health
- Maintaining the list of notifiable plant pests and diseases, inspecting plants, seed and wood packaging brought into the Network and investigating reports from growers and nurseries.
- Rural services
- Rural offices in each of the five agricultural districts, the farm advisory service, training courses and the weekly market bulletin.
- The register of holdings
- Registration of every holding of agricultural land in the Network, recording of livestock movements and the issue of holding numbers and certificates of registration.
- Statistics and reporting
- Quarterly releases on land use, holdings, livestock and inspection outcomes, and an annual return collected from every holding each June.
How the Department works with keepers and growers. The Department's services are provided without charge to the occupier of any registered holding. Inspections are announced at least ten working days in advance except where they follow a report or an improvement notice, and every outcome may be reviewed by an inspector who was not involved in the original visit. Reports of suspected disease made in good faith carry no penalty if they prove unfounded, and compensation is paid where the Department directs the destruction of animals or plants.
For the Department's origins and the milestones since its establishment, see History; for answers to common questions, see the frequently asked questions. General enquiries may be sent to contact@agriculture.gov.vin.