08 June 2022
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise the cherry industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, and registration of treatment facilities to export cherries to protocol markets for the 2022-23 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export cherries to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea for the 2022-23 season.
- Any property wishing to export in the 2022-23 season must apply.
- Applications must be received by 5pm AEST, Friday 15 July 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Farms and packhouses should complete the relevant application form/s through the following online systems
- For properties intending to export cherries from mainland Australia
- For properties intending to export cherries from Tasmania
Note: All information in the application including ABN, contact details, maps and property addresses must be complete and correct or the application may not be accepted.
- Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the department.
- Crop monitors must complete the training and assessment for cherries through the Tocal College online eLearning hub by Friday 5 August 2022 to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring.
Treatment facilities that are not already a registered establishment and want to apply for the registered functions of
- methyl bromide fumigation of cherries for export to China and Korea, or
- onshore cold treatment of cherries for export to China, Taiwan and Thailand
must download and complete the
- Application to register an establishment and/or approve a proposed arrangement (EX26a) and
- Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d)
and forward to the Certificate Management Group by 5pm AEST, Friday 15 July 2022.
- Treatment facilities previously registered for this export pathway do not need to reapply.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.
The protocols for cherries to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea mandate that farms, packhouses and treatment facilities must be accredited or registered with us, prior to export.
For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant work plans and protocols on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plants website. To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plants user.
To register for Micor, go to the registration webpage, complete all fields and then click ‘Submit’. You will be provided with your login details by email.
Accredited property responsibilities – Farms and packhouses
- Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually (unless otherwise advised).
- Farms may divide their orchard into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates. A block must be a contiguous unit and not be separated by structures such as a building, public road or body of water.
Note: For further information, refer to the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties. - Farms and packhouses must be available for audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant workplans and protocols.
- Audits will occur either pre-season and/or in-season (during harvest). Any farm or packhouse that was not accredited for the 2021-22 season will be audited pre-season.
- Accreditation and/or continuation of accreditation is reliant upon audit outcomes.
Note: The department will use a combination of announced and unannounced audits as part of its assurance process. - We can only issue accreditation for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- Requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- Packhouses exporting fruit to Thailand must comply with Thailand’s ‘good practices’ requirements for packhouses. See the Thailand Food and Drug Administration requirements for packhouses for further information.
Crop monitoring responsibilities
Only crop monitors who have completed the online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
- Online crop monitor training for cherries is now open via the Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- Crop monitors must complete the assessment by Friday, 5 August 2022.
- Crop monitors must be audited for compliance at the relevant accredited property audit.
Treatment facility responsibilities
- Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
- Treatment facilities that are currently approved for treatment functions under their registered establishment do not need to re-apply unless they would like to vary their approval by adding or removing a treatment function (country, commodity, treatment combination). To vary their approval, they must submit the Application to vary an establishment registration and/or approved arrangement (EX26b) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d).
- Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for the countries, commodities and treatments they would like must submit the Application to register an establishment and/or approve a proposed arrangement (EX26a) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) and be audited and approved by us and the importing country where required.
Contact information
Please direct any queries regarding the online application systems to the peak industry body.
For farms and packhouses located in Tasmania:
Kate Dickinson
Fruit Growers Tasmania Inc. (FGT)
Email: trade@fruitgrowerstas.org.au
Phone: 03 6169 2059
For farms and packhouses located in mainland Australia:
Charlotte Brunt
Cherry Growers Australia
Email: export@cherrygrowers.org.au
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the Horticulture Exports Program.
Rossana Carr
A/g Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch