Instructional Material Updates
Instructional material for export operations is transitioning into new templates. The updates are being made to meet department style requirements, facilitate improved document management and make it quicker and easier for users to find the instructions they need.
As documents are transitioned into the new templates, you may find some documents titled according to the new naming convention and others that are still titled according to the previous naming convention.
More information can be found in IAN 2024-08: Plant Export Operations – Ongoing conversion of instructional material.
Instructional material has been prepared by the department and published on the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) to provide information that directs and supports industry and authorised officers (AOs) to understand their responsibilities and perform their roles relating to the export of prescribed plants and plant products from Australia to ensure the objects of the Export Control Act 2020 are met.
Exports Policy (previously Departmental Policy) describes the rules that must be followed or requirements that must be met.
Export Process Instructions (previously Guidelines) describe a sequence of events or stages of an activity that different parties in different roles across the export supply chain must complete. Export Process Instructions may also describe rules or requirements relating to the process.
Export Work instructions (previously Work Instructions) provide a step-by-step account of the activities a person in a specific role performs to complete a task. For example, the inspection of plants and plant products, empty containers and vessels for loading by an AO. Export Work Instructions may also describe the rules or requirements relating to the task.
Export References (previously References) contains supporting information to further assist industry and AOs to understand and perform their roles.
Exports System Instructions provide instruction for using an exports system, such as the Plant Exports Management System (PEMS).
This section contains general information relating to the export of all plants and plant products, and the inspection of empty containers and vessels for loading from Australia. For information specific to establishments, transport units, product inspections and documentation refer to the related sections below.
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Authorised Officers
Exporters must use an inspection authorised officer (AO) who has the appropriate appointment for the type of inspection being conducted.
If an exporter is seeking an inspection from a departmental AO a Request for plant exports inspection appointment form must be completed.
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Equipment
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| Document | File size |
|---|---|
| Reference: Plant exports guide – Equipment PDF | 860 KB |
| Reference: Plant exports guide – Equipment DOCX | 8.5 MB |
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Specimen collection
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| Document | File size |
|---|---|
| Reference: Plant exports guide – Specimen collection PDF | 219 KB |
| Reference: Plant exports guide – Specimen collection DOCX | 97 KB |
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Registered establishments
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Auditing registered establishment
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Export compliant goods storage
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Quality System Recognition
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Mobile Bulk Loading
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Handling pest free area products
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Accredited properties include farms and packhouses that are required to be accredited by the department to produce and/or prepare a particular commodity to meet the requirement for recognition by an importing country authority.
Instructional material specific to horticulture export accredited properties can be found below.
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Packhouse growers supplier model
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Horticulture registered establishments and accredited properties are responsible for maintaining phytosanitary security of goods for export held in their premises and during transport from one premises to another. This includes documenting the secure movement of goods using transfer records.
Instructional material specific to phytosanitary security for horticulture exports can be found below.
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Empty container inspection
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Bulk vessel inspection
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Instructional material specific to product inspections can be found below. You will be required to use other export documentation, certification and forms, which can be found under the Documentation section, along with the relevant instructional material.
General
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| Document | File size |
|---|---|
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets PDF | 257 KB |
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets DOCX | 154 KB |
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Horticulture
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Grain and plant products
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Cotton
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Hay and straw products
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Forest products
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Phytosanitary treatments being carried out on horticulture for export to protocol markets must occur in registered establishments that have the appropriate treatment function/s under their registration.
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| Document | File size |
|---|---|
| Reference: Use of phytosanitary treatments for plant exports PDF | 252 KB |
| Reference: Use of phytosanitary treatments for plant exports DOCX | 86 KB |
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Cold treatment
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Dimethoate dipping
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Irradiation
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Methyl bromide fumigation
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Sulfur dioxide/Carbon dioxide fumigation
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Vapour heat treatment
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This section contains information on the issuance of certification for plant exports and completing plant export inspection and treatment records.
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| Document | File size |
|---|---|
| Guideline: Issuance of certification for plant exports PDF | 292 KB |
| Guideline: Issuance of certification for plant exports DOCX | 116 KB |
Completing export documentation
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Inspection and treatment records
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The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Charging Guidelines provides details about the application of the department’s biosecurity and export certification fees and charges applicable to biosecurity, live animal export, plant export and food export programs.
This section contains instructional material for plant export systems:
Manual for importing country requirements (Micor)
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| Document |
|---|
| Manual of importing country requirements (plants) HTML |
Plant Export Management System (PEMS)
The Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide has been published as separate reference documents.
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| Document | Version | Date of release |
|---|---|---|
| Process instruction: Inspection of forest products for export | 5 | 16/03/2026 |
| Work instruction: Inspecting forest products for export | 4 | 16/03/2026 |
| Reference: Performance standards for plant export registered establishments | 6 | 03/12/2025 |
| Policy: Management of plant export registered establishments | 5 | 20/11/2025 |
| Reference: Table of authorised officer job functions | 24 | 10/10/2025 |
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets | 17 | 10/10/2025 |
| Reference: Application for accreditation under the packhouse grower supplier model | N/A | 09/05/2025 |
| Process instruction: Inspection of prescribed grain and plant products for export | 8 | 28/04/2025 |
| Work instruction: Inspecting prescribed grain and plant products for export | 6 | 28/04/2025 |
| Policy: Audit of plant export operations | 6 | 22/04/2025 |
| Process instruction: Audit of plant export registered establishments | 6 | 22/04/2025 |
| Process instruction: Audit of plant export authorised officers | 2 | 22/04/2025 |
| Process instruction: Audit of horticulture export accredited properties | 6 | 22/04/2025 |
| Work instruction: Completing plant export inspection and treatment records | 10 | 24/03/2025 |
| Reference: Application for registration of cucurbit growers for freedom from Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV) | N/A | Rescinded |
| Process instruction: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 7.0 | 19/12/2024 |
| Process instruction: Management of horticulture export accredited properties operating under the packhouse grower supplier model | 2.0 | 19/12/2024 |
| Reference: Packhouse management of Growers Template | 2.0 | 19/12/2024 |
| Reference: Performance standards for the packhouse grower supplier model | 2.0 | 19/12/2024 |
| Process instruction: Maintenance of phytosanitary security for horticulture exports | 5.0 | 11/12/2024 |
| Reference: Transfer record for horticulture exports | 4.0 | 11/12/2024 |
| Work instruction: Completing a transfer record for horticulture exports | N/A | Rescinded |
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets | 15.0 | 9/12/2024 |
| Reference: Performance standards – Automatic in-line hay sampling | 1.0 | 27/11/2024 |
| Reference: Performance standards - Establishment continuation audits for log exports to China | 1.0 | 20/11/2024 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using end-point sampling | 5.0 | 6/11/2024 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using in-line sampling | 6.0 | 6/11/2024 |
| Reference: Performance standards - Establishment start up audits for log exports to China | 2.0 | 13/8/2024 |
| Reference: Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for vapour heat treatment | 1.3 | 23/8/2024 |
| Reference: Registered operation and function codes for plant export registered establishments | 10 | 13/08/2024 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide – Overview and General Functions | 21 | 04/07/2024 |
| Reference: Prescribed goods export preparation standard checklist | 3 | 29/05/2024 |
| Reference: Conduct and communication in a plant export environment | 4 | 24/04/2024 |
| Reference: Pests, diseases and contaminants of horticultural commodities | 2 | 05/04/2024 |
| Reference: Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques | 4 | 05/04/2024 |
| Reference: Defensible decision making for plant export authorised officers | 4 | 05/04/2024 |
| Reference: Plant export operations instructional material glossary of terms | 3 | 05/04/2024 |
| Pre-entry hazard assessment for third-party worksites including bulk vessels (Take 5 checklist) | 3 | 05/04/2024 |
| Table of authorised officer job functions | 22 | 05/04/2024 |
| Work health and safety in the plant export environment | 5 | 05/04/2024 |
| Process instruction: Inspection of prescribed grain and plant products for export | 8 | 29/02/2024 |
| Work instruction: Inspecting forest products for export | 3 | 29/02/2024 |
| Process instruction: Inspection of forest products for export | 3 | 29/02/2024 |
| Reference: Guideline: Inspection of prescribed grain and plant products for export | 7 | 31/01/2024 |
| Reference: Plant exports guide – bulk woodchips inspection techniques | 4 | 18/01/2024 |
| Reference: Pests, diseases and contaminants of horticultural commodities | 1 | 18/01/2024 |
| Departmental Policy: Management of plant export registered establishments | 3 | 04/01/2024 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting prescribed grain and plant products for export | 5 | 29/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of prescribed grain and plant products for export | 7 | 29/11/2023 |
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets | 14 | 28/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Quality System Recognition of highly processed plant products for export | 9 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of hay and straw for export | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Mobile Bulk Loading of prescribed goods for export | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting cotton for export | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Reference: Export compliant goods storage | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting empty containers for export | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Work Instruction: Initiating an in-transit cold treatment for plant exports | 8 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty containers for export | 3 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty bulk vessels for export | 11 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export | 5 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of cotton for export | 5 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Audit of plant export registered establishments | 6 | 24/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 6 | 01/11//2023 |
| Guideline: Audit of horticulture export accredited properties | 5 | 01/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 6 | 01/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Audit of horticulture export accredited properties | 5 | 01/11/2023 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties operating under the packhouse grower supplier model | 1 | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Packhouse management of Growers Template | 1 | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Performance standards for the packhouse grower supplier model | 1 | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Application for plant export accreditation of farms | N/A | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Application for plant export accreditation of packhouses | N/A | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Application for accreditation under the packhouse grower supplier model | N/A | 01/11/2023 |
| Reference: Registered operation and function codes for plant export registered establishments | 9 | 28/09/2023 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 5 | 12/09/2023 |
| Guideline: Supporting documents for plant exports | 6 | 12/09/2023 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide – Quality System Recognition Inspections | 17 | 22/08/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of forest products for export | 2 | 14/08/2023 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting forest products for export | 2 | 14/08/2023 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 4 | 07/08/2023 |
| Guideline: Audit of horticulture export accredited properties | 4 | 07/08/2023 |
| Performance standards – onshore cold treatment – horticulture exports | 5 | 07/08/2023 |
| Vapour heat treatment sensor calibration record | 4 | 04/07/2023 |
| Vapour heat treatment record | 4 | 04/07/2023 |
| Reference: Performance standards – vapour heat treatment – horticulture exports | 5 | 04/07/2023 |
| Guideline: Supporting documents for plant exports | 5 | 04/07/2023 |
| Reference: Plant export operations instructional material glossary of terms | 1 | 04/07/2023 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting empty bulk vessels for export | 7 | 04/07/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty bulk vessels for export | 10 | 04/07/2023 |
| Reference: Conduct and communication in a plant export environment | 3 | 04/07/2023 |
| Reference: Registered operation and function codes for plant export registered establishments | 7 | 08/05/2023 |
| Work instruction: Inspecting empty bulk vessel for export | 6 | 05/05/2023 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty bulk vessels for export | 9 | 13/04/2023 |
| Reference: Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for vapour heat treatment | 1.2 | 20/03/2023 |
| Reference: Pre-entry hazard assessment for third party worksites including bulk vessels (Take 5 checklist) | 2 | 17/03/2023 |
| Reference: Conduct and communication in a plant export environment | 2 | 25/10/2022 |
| Reference: Defensible decision making for plant export authorised officers | 3 | 25/10/2022 |
| Reference: Plant export document and treatments checklist superseded by Reference: Documentation checklist for plant exports | N/A | Rescinded |
| Dry box empty inspection entomology superseded by Inspecting empty containers for insects. | N/A | Rescinded |
| Reference: Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for vapour heat treatment | 1.1 | 10/10/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide – Grain and Plant Product inspections | 18 | 4/10/2022 |
| Departmental Policy: Management of plant export registered establishments | 2 | 01/10/2022 |
| Guideline: Audit of plant export registered establishments | 5 | 01/10/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards for plant export registered establishments | 5 | 01/10/2022 |
| Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties | 4 | 01/10/2022 |
| Guideline: Audit of horticulture export accredited properties | 4 | 01/10/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards for packhouses | 5 | 01/10/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – irradiation treatment – horticulture exports | 4 | 15/09/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) fumigation – horticulture exports | 3 | 15/09/2022 |
| Guideline: Supporting documents for plant exports | 4 | 13/09/2022 |
| Reference: Authorised officer audit performance standards | 2 | 29/08/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide – Overview and General Functions | 19 | 11/08/2022 |
| Guideline: Inspection of prescribed grain and plant products for export | 6 | 02/08/2022 |
| Volume 13: Phytosanitary certification overview | N/A | Rescinded |
| Volume 18: Export documentation – electronic | N/A | Rescinded |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised officer user guide – Bulk vessel inspections | 13 | 26/07/2022 |
| Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised officer user guide – Bulk into ship hold inspections | 16 | 26/07/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Horticulture inspections | 15 | 25/07/2022 |
| Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised officer user guide – Quality System Recognition Inspections | 16 | 25/07/2022 |
| Reference: Empty Container Sticker Stencil | N/A | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Empty Container Inspection Record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Bulk into Ship Hold Inspection Record | 3 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Horticulture Inspection Record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Grain and Plant Product Inspection Record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Onshore cold treatment record | 4 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Certificate of loading and calibration record for an in-transit cold treatment | 3 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Bulk Vessel Loading Running Record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Bulk Vessel Inspection Record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Vapour heat treatment record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Vapour heat treatment sensor calibration record | 2 | 19/07/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – irradiation treatment – horticulture exports | 4 | 01/07/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) fumigation – horticulture exports | 2 | 30/06/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – handling fruit fly pest free (PFA) product outside of a PFA | 2 | 30/06/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – methyl bromide fumigation – horticulture exports | 2 | 30/06/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – vapour heat treatment – horticulture exports | 5 | 30/06/2022 |
| Guideline: Inspection of cotton for export | 4 | 27/05/2022 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting cotton for export | 2 | 27/05/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards – washing potatoes for export to the Republic of Korea | 1 | 23/05/2022 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty containers for export | 2 | 9/05/2022 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting empty containers for export | 2 | 9/05/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide - Quality System Recognition Inspections | 15 | 7/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide – Overview and General Functions | 18 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised officer user guide – Empty container inspections | 12 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide - Grain and Plant Product inspections | 16 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Horticulture inspections | 14 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide - Bulk into ship hold inspections | 15 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Onshore cold treatment calibrations | 10 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Vapour heat treatment | 3 | 4/04/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Horticulture inspections | 13 | 16/03/2022 |
| Reference: Table of authorised officer job functions | 19 | 16/03/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Export Management System authorised officer user guide – Vapour heat treatment | 2 | 21/02/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide - Bulk into ship hold inspections | 14 | 21/02/2022 |
| Reference: Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) Authorised Officer User Guide - Grain and Plant Product Inspections | 15 | 21/02/2022 |
| Reference: Table of plant export protocol markets | 13 | 14/02/2022 |
| Work Instruction: Inspecting empty bulk vessels for export | 5 | 1/01/2022 |
| Guideline: Inspection of empty bulk vessels for export | 8 | 1/01/2022 |
| Reference: Performance standards for plant export registered establishments | 4 | 1/01/2022 |
| Departmental Policy: Management of plant export registered establishments | 1 | 1/01/2022 |
| Guideline: Management of plant export registered establishments Superseded by Departmental Policy: Management of plant export registered establishments | na | Rescinded |