Norfolk Island plant biosecurity import conditions

An import permit is required if these conditions cannot be met.

Conditions for the importation of maize seeds for sowing from Australia to Norfolk Island under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

• The maize seed must be Australian grown and packed.
• The consignment must be free from visual symptoms of disease, live insects, contaminant weed or other crop seeds, soil, and other contaminants.
• Consignments must be commercially packed in clean new packages. The packages must be clearly marked with the botanical name of the seed.
• Each consignment must be accompanied by certification issued by a state/territory plant health certification authority, or through the Interstate Certification Assurance scheme. Certification must state:
  • ‘The maize seed has been inspected and found free from visual symptoms of disease, insect infestation, and other contamination.’
  • ‘The maize seed:
    1. was grown in an area in which boil smut (Ustilago maydis) is not known to occur.’, or
    2. has been sourced from crops that have been inspected prior to harvest and found free of boil smut (Ustilago maydis).’, or
    3. has been treated with Vitavax® 200FF flowable fungicide.’
  • ‘The maize seed:
    1. was grown in an area in which Sugarcane mosaic virus, Barley yellow dwarf virus, Cereal chlorotic mottle virus, Johnsongrass mosaic virus, Maize stripe virus, and Wheat streak mosaic virus are not known to occur.’, or
    2. the maize seed has been sourced from crops that have been inspected prior to harvest and found free of these viruses.’
• Upon arrival on Norfolk Island, consignments are to be inspected by a Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry officer prior to release, therefore packaging must be suitable for opening to allow inspection. The presence of quarantine pests and/or other biosecurity risk material will necessitate remedial actions. Remedial action options include: treatment, where this is available, re-export or destruction.

Exemptions:

Commercially packed retail packets of maize seed up to 50grams are exempt from the certification and treatment requirements, and may be imported into Norfolk Island, provided they are of Australian origin, labelled with genus and species name and are not a genetically modified organism.

Popping corn is exempt from the certification and treatment requirements, and may be imported into Norfolk Island provided the popping corn is commercially packaged in retail packets.

Conditions for the importation of certified seed potatoes from Australia to Norfolk Island under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

• A valid import permit is required. Note: the import permit must be obtained from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry prior to the seed potatoes arriving in Norfolk Island.
• Consignments must be packed in clean new bags/boxes/containers. Each consignment must be secured (i.e. made insect proof) prior to shipment to maintain its quarantine integrity on arrival using a secure packaging option. The packages must be clearly labelled with the kind of produce, the name of the grower or packer and information that enables verification against accompanying documentation.
• The potatoes must be brushed.
• Each consignment must be accompanied by a Seed Potato Certification Statement. Certification must state:
  • ‘The potatoes were grown in Australia and have passed certification under the National Standards for Seed Potato Certification, and are officially labelled as such.’
  • ‘The potatoes were sourced from areas or crops that have been demonstrated to be free from Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum), Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis).’
  • ‘The potatoes have been inspected and found to be free from any visually detectable pests including stem and bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) and diseases including Pink Rot (Phytophthora erythroseptica), Rhizoctonia Canker (Rhizoctonia solani) and Potato viruses (Tomato spotted wilt virus, Potato virus S, Y and X).’
• Upon arrival on Norfolk Island, consignments are to be inspected by a Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry biosecurity officer to verify seed dockets align with consignment manifest prior to release, or remedial treatment applied if required. Packaging must be suitable for opening to allow inspection.