Strengthening biosecurity & crop protection for Aussie growers
AUSVEG undertakes a number of extension projects in the biosecurity and crop protection space. These projects aim to improve the management of pests and diseases across the vegetable industry and increase the quality and quantity of resources available to Australian vegetable growers.
Our core focuses include biosecurity, sustainable production, and integrated pest management solutions.
AUSVEG also publishes ‘The Front Line’, a biosecurity bulletin to keep industry up to date with the latest biosecurity news, including upcoming workshops and events, research and development, and pest and disease alerts.
Biosecurity
Biosecurity provides a mechanism for the vegetable industry, government, and other relevant stakeholders to actively determine pests of high priority, analyse the risks they pose and implement procedures to reduce the chance of pests becoming established.
AUSVEG is involved in a number of extension projects with a core biosecurity focus. These include:
Completed projects:
- Building Biosecurity Capacity and Resilience within the NSW Vegetable Industry
- MT20005 – Management Strategy for serpentine leafminer (Liriomyza huidobrensis)
- MT16004 – RD&E Program for control, eradication and preparedness for Vegetable Leafminer – 2017 – 2020
- MT16018 – National Tomato potato psyllid (TPP) Program Coordinator
- Boosting Diagnostic Capacity for Plant Production Industries
- AUSVEG Peri-Urban Biosecurity Pilot Program
- ST16010 – iMapPESTS: Sentinel Surveillance for Agriculture download the wrap-up report
Pest management solutions
Pest management involves agrichemical, cultural and biological control for pests and diseases. Read more about crop information here.
AUSVEG Biosecurity & Engagement team
National Manager – Biosecurity & Extension
Zarmeen Hassan
Zarmeen brings a wealth of experience across industry and the private sector to her work leading AUSVEG’s science and extension projects, including from previous roles with global organisations like Monsanto, FrieslandCampina, Reckitt Benckiser and Coca-Cola.
Zarmeen has extensive leadership experience, holding multiple roles managing teams and projects across a wide range of disciplines, including agriculture, marketing, communications, business and policy development.
Recently, she has spent time in Pakistan to develop transformative solutions for the agricultural sector, working with multiple stakeholders from industry, government, finance, growers, academia and donor agencies to forge public private partnerships for the development of the agriculture sector.
Program Manager - Biosecurity
Rosalie Daniel
Rosalie Daniel joined AUSVEG in 2023 to coordinate activities in the Vegetable Industry Biosecurity and Business Continuity strategy (VG22004), a national partnership connecting biosecurity capability in vegetable industry businesses, government agencies, research programs and private industry to develop and deliver tools and infrastructure to support effective responses to new pest arrivals and rapid, risk-based return to trade for farms.
Rose has a background in plant pathology research, plant biosecurity, training and extension and a deep appreciation for the microscopic world, in particular fungi. She has worked across several horticultural sectors, both in Australia and overseas, with growers, government, private industry and universities to improve plant health management and profitability for horticulture. Prior roles include Technical Manager with Apple and Pear Australia and Plant Pathologist with NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Farm Biosecurity Coordinator
Shakira Johnson
Shakira Johnson's role is focused on raising awareness of pests and pathogens not currently present, or recently arrived, in Australia that negatively impact the vegetables and potatoes industries.
Previously, Shakira coordinated the iMapPESTS RD&E program. Prior to her role in iMapPESTS, Shakira completed a case study on the application of an Area Freedom framework using the Tomato Potato Psyllid and AUSPestCheck to demonstrate the importance of evidence-based, data-driven decisions around the movement of plant products across state borders and international borders.
Shakira is skilled in strategic coordination of collaborative projects, research extension, and science communication.
An active member of the research and extension community, Shakira has a research background in molecular plant pathology. Given her breadth and depth of knowledge of the technical elements of surveillance and molecular diagnostics, as well as her project coordination and engagement experience in iMapPESTS, Shakira is well-placed to continue the legacy of strong collaboration and interaction between industry, government and research previously achieved in the AUSVEG Farm Biosecurity Program.
National Coordinator
Cherry Emerick
Cherry Emerick is the National Coodinator of VegNet, the levy-funded national extension project for the vegetable and onion industry. Previously, Cherry was Project Officer for the AUSVEG extension component of the Hort Innovation-funded project Management strategy for serpentine leafminer, (Liriomyza huidobrensis) (MT20005).
Cherry has also has been the Senior Project Officer at the North Queensland Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) on the Landholders Driving Change project, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, including an understanding of northern agriculture.
Cherry has previously held the position of Industry Development Officer in North and Far North Queensland and been a part of a national farming company with the last position held as an Operations Manager.
Engagement with local, state, and federal government has allowed her to build strong relationships over the years.
Project Administration Support Officer
Carol Knight
Carol re-joins AUSVEG as Project Administration Support Officer for the VG22004 Program – Vegetable Industry Biosecurity and Business Continuity Strategy.
Biosecurity and Extension Support Officer
Isabelle Fox
Isabelle joined AUSVEG in 2024 as a Biosecurity and Extension Support Officer.