Proactive - not reactive - approach to biosecurity vital

And the risks of potential pests is also true in agriculture, which makes it seem absurd the state government would release the budget it has in the past week with a reduced spending on biosecurity.

The fruit fly fight is still ongoing. Japanese encephalitis has been detected in numerous regions.

There are so many reasons why biosecurity should be a greater priority across all tiers of government and industry.

We should also be proactive, rather than reactive.

We know the threats are coming - or are already here - and we shouldn't be left scrambling to deal with them.

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We also need to ensure PIRSA remains the incredibly valuable resource that it has been.

We need research capability to deal with the coming - and existing - threats.

And we need that research to make it out of laboratories and offices to farms where it can make a difference.

That all involves investment, which should be coming from a state government that recognises the importance of the agricultural industry to SA as a whole.

That said, there are some welcome investments in the state budget.

Regional health, education and skills are all vital when it comes to creating spaces where people want to live, and seek jobs.