The Project

The AUSVEG Peri-Urban Biosecurity Pilot Program, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, is a vegetable industry-focused program which commenced in January 2021 and will conclude in July 2022. The program is aimed at vegetable growers, agronomists, consultants and associated service providers confined to three pilot locations: Virginia, SA; Werribee, VIC; and Greater Sydney, NSW.

The Program Coordinator is currently collaborating with agronomists/consultants in these regions to:

  • Discuss endemic pest and disease issues.
  • Understand current surveillance activities being undertaken in the region.
  • Understand barriers to sharing surveillance data.
  • Develop an industry surveillance network in conjunction with growers and agronomists (visit the three tabs for more information).

A total of 12 workshops, four workshops in each region, will be delivered over the 18-month program. Workshops address relevant endemic and exotic pests to the area, raise awareness of exotic pests and diseases and on-farm biosecurity, and provide guidance identifying significant issues and on how samples can be best collected. Free pest and disease diagnostics are being offered through the project, and can be submitted to the relevant State government plant diagnostic service using take-home kits provided at the workshops (or mailed out to growers/agronomists).

Victorian industry can use this form to submit samples to Crop Health Services for diagnosis.

View the form here.

Visit the tabs above to view weekly Surveillance Updates, which are created by the program coordinator based on contributor pest and disease observations. The information provided is based on the expertise of industry advisors on incidence (high, medium and low) of key pests. This information is of general nature only. AUSVEG does not accept any liability arising from the publication of this content or the use of or reliance on any content published through this platform.

 

For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator, Maddy Quirk, at science@ausveg.com.au.