Prior to 2012, the vegetable industry identified that biosecurity and related technical issues are areas where the industry requires appropriate expertise to respond to, and engage with, governments and various plant health bodies. This lack of expertise was a significant weakness in the vegetable industry’s technical capacity; therefore, a Biosecurity Advisor was appointed. This levy-funded project provided for AUSVEG’s continued industry representation in a range of forums, such as the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP), and at various biosecurity-related meetings facilitated by the Australian Government.

It also allowed the industry to provide input into Biosecurity Import Risk Analyses (BIRAs) and state biosecurity policies, assist in the development of plant pest contingency plans, and provide input into endemic pest control issues, including the maintenance of existing trade. In addition, the role permitted AUSVEG to participate in various Plant Health Australia (PHA) working groups and other matters surrounding the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD).

A newly-published project report outlines how, following the initial appointment of the Biosecurity Advisor in 2012 (VG11013), AUSVEG has engaged widely with industry, government and plant health bodies on biosecurity issues.

The project team has published key results for the vegetable industry as a result of this greater technical capacity and more comprehensive level of engagement. These can be found in its final report (available now on the InfoVeg database).

This post appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 23 April 2019. Subscribe to the Update using our online form to receive the latest industry news in your inbox every week!