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For Australian businesses in the agricultural and horticultural sectors, a high-priority plant pest detection can trigger a cascade of operational and financial challenges. However, proactive preparation and a clear understanding of the response process can significantly mitigate these impacts and expedite a return to normal trading.
Here’s what individual businesses can do to be ready, what they might be asked to provide during an incursion, and how they can speed up the process of regaining market access.
Be prepared: your first line of defence
Good on-farm biosecurity is the most effective defence against plant pests. A well documented and implemented biosecurity plan is no longer just a recommendation; for many industry assurance programs and market access schemes, it is a requirement.
Key preparedness actions for businesses include:
Develop and implement a farm biosecurity plan: this written plan should be a practical guide for all staff and visitors. Numerous templates and resources are available from industry bodies and state agriculture departments.
Your plan should cover:
- Managing farm inputs: scrutinise all incoming plant material (seeds, seedlings, nursery stock), soil, and growing media. Source inputs from reputable suppliers with a known biosecurity status. Keep detailed records of all incoming materials.
- Controlling people, vehicles, and equipment: designate a single farm entry and exit point. Maintain a visitor log and require all visitors and their vehicles to be clean on arrival. Have dedicated “clean” and “dirty” zones, and provide facilities for cleaning and disinfecting footwear and equipment.
- Production practices: regularly monitor crops for any unusual signs of pests or diseases. Train staff on what to look for and how to report it. Keep accurate records of crop health, pest surveillance activities, and any treatments applied
- Managing farm outputs: ensure produce and equipment leaving the property are free from pests and contamination.
- Staff training: regularly train all staff on the farm’s biosecurity procedures and their responsibilities.
- Maintain meticulous records: good record-keeping is crucial. These records will be invaluable during a pest investigation and for demonstrating pest-free status to regain market access.
What you may be asked to hand over when a pest is detected
If a pest is detected on your property or in your region, biosecurity officers, acting under state and national biosecurity legislation, have the authority to enter the property and request a range of information and documents to aid their investigation.
Businesses should be prepared to provide:
- Movement records: detailed logs of all plant material, produce, equipment, and vehicle movements both onto and off the property. This is critical for tracing the potential source and spread of the pest.
- Visitor and staff logs: records of everyone who has been on the property, which can help in contact tracing.
- Pest surveillance and monitoring records: documentation of regular crop inspections, including dates, locations, and any findings.
- Treatment and chemical application records: a complete history of all pesticides and other treatments used on the property.
- Supplier and customer information: details of where you source your inputs and who you supply your products to.
- Farm maps: detailed maps of your property showing production areas, entry/exit points, and key infrastructure.
- Training records: proof that staff have been trained in biosecurity procedures.
Biosecurity officers may also need to take samples of plants, soil, or insects for diagnostic purposes. Cooperation and transparency during this phase are essential for a swift and effective response.
Regaining market access faster: the path to recovery
The speed at which a business can regain market access following a pest outbreak is directly linked to its ability to demonstrate that its produce is pest-free and that it has effective biosecurity measures in place.
Key strategies to expedite market access recovery include:
- Embrace certification schemes: participate in industry-led quality assurance and certification schemes. The Interstate Certification Assurance (ICA) scheme is a national program that allows accredited businesses to self-certify that their produce meets the quarantine requirements of other states and territories. This can be a faster alternative to traditional inspections by government officials.
- Obtain necessary certificates: familiarise yourself with the types of biosecurity certificates that may be required to move your produce:
- Plant Health Certificate (PHC): issued by a government inspector to certify that a consignment meets specific quarantine conditions.
- Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC): issued by a business accredited under a scheme like ICA.
- Demonstrate area freedom: cooperate fully with surveillance activities to help establish that your property or region is free from the pest. This data is crucial for lifting quarantine restrictions.
- Maintain open communication: stay in close contact with your state or territory’s department of agriculture and your peak industry body. They will provide the latest information on quarantine boundaries, market access conditions, and any available support programs.
- Implement a corrective action plan: if biosecurity weaknesses are identified on your property, promptly develop and implement a corrective action plan to address these issues. This demonstrates a commitment to biosecurity and can build confidence with regulators and trading partners.
By taking a proactive and diligent approach to biosecurity, businesses can not only reduce the risk of a devastating pest incursion but also position themselves to recover more quickly and effectively should one occur.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact the AUSVEG Biosecurity & Extension Team on 03 9882 0277 or email science@ausveg.com.au