There are new changes to the potato cyst nematode (PCN) permit system in Victoria.

Effective 1 September 2021, landholders in the PCN Control Area must now submit an application to Agriculture Victoria to obtain a permit to remove PCN host material from their land.

These permits will no longer be automatically issued each year.

PCN is a microscopic, worm-like organism that lives in the soil and feeds on the roots of Solanaceous plants. It is a significant biosecurity threat that is currently present in Victoria.

As PCN exists in soil, it can easily be spread by the movement of infected soil attached to plants, used machinery, and packages.

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