AUSVEG and Plant Health Australia invite potato growers to have their say on a framework being developed for monitoring pest and diseases that are currently not in Australia. This framework would support market access information required by trading partners, both domestic and international, and protect our industries from external threats by detecting them earlier and faster.

The project, known as National Potato Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy (NPIBSS) is a Department of Agriculture-funded project, and the workshop is the final one for the project that aims at finalising a proposed monitoring and surveillance strategy with potato industry and government stakeholders.

The final NPIBSS Workshop will be held on:

Friday 1 November 1 2019
9am-5pm

The NPIBSS aims to facilitate a coordinated and collaborative approach for biosecurity surveillance in Australian potato production to support both early detection of exotic pests relevant to the potato industry and pest status claims for market access. The NPIBSS and its accompanying implementation plan will provide a roadmap to prioritise investment and activities, and it is anticipated this will result in the establishment of a nationally coordinated potato biosecurity monitoring and surveillance program.

The strategy intends to provide:

• Improved general and specific surveillance outcomes for potato production in both commercial and urban/peri-urban areas;
• Improved grower capability to detect and report exotic pest incursions; and
• Identification of issues and opportunities for the establishment of a national potato biosecurity surveillance program.

If you would like to attend, please email Zarmeen Hassan at zarmeen.hassan@ausveg.com.au.