22 October 2009
Draft Import Risk Analysis Report for Fresh Apple Fruit from the United States of America Pacific Northwest States
This Biosecurity Australia Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft import risk analysis report for fresh apple fruit from the United States of America Pacific Northwest states.
The draft report identifies a number of pests that require quarantine measures including: apple maggot, apple leafcurling midge, fruit boring moths, flat scarlet mite, thrips, mealybugs, pathogens associated with fire blight, European canker, apple scab, rusts and fruit rots.
The draft report proposes that the importation of apple fruit can be permitted, subject to quarantine measures for the pests of quarantine concern.
This draft report is being issued for 60 days consultation. Comments and submissions are invited by 21 December 2009.
Biosecurity Australia Advice 2008/06, of 17 March 2008, announced the formal commencement of an expanded import risk analysis (IRA) under the regulated process to consider a proposal to import fresh apple fruit from the United States (US) Pacific Northwest states (Washington, Oregon and Idaho). Biosecurity Australia further announced the release of the Issues paper for the import risk analysis of fresh apple fruit from the United States of America on 7 July 2008. Stakeholders were invited to comment on the issues paper and those comments have been addressed in the draft IRA report, where appropriate.
This Biosecurity Australia Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft import risk analysis report for fresh apple fruit from the United States of America Pacific Northwest states. Stakeholders have until 21 December 2009 to provide written comments on the draft IRA report.
The draft IRA report identifies 34 quarantine pests that require quarantine measures to manage risks to a very low level in order to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP). Twenty-nine of these pests are significant for all of Australia and five pests are of regional significance for Western Australia.
The identified quarantine pests include 20 arthropods: codling moth, apple leafcurling midge, apple maggot, thrips (2 species), flat scarlet mite, mealybugs (2 species), leafroller moths (9 species), oriental fruit moth, cherry fruitworm and lesser appleworm; and 14 pathogens associated with fire blight, European canker, apple scab, rusts (2 species) and fruit rots (9 species).
The draft IRA report proposes a combination of risk management measures and operational systems that will reduce the risk associated with the importation of fresh apple fruit from the Pacific Northwest states (PNW) into Australia to achieve Australia’s ALOP, including:
- Mandatory pre-clearance arrangements with Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) officers involved in all risk management measures in the PNW and auditing of the systems and processes used by the US to certify exports.
- Orchard inspections and packing house disinfection treatment for fire blight. Orchards with any visual symptoms of fire blight would be disqualified from export.
- Orchard inspection for European canker. Orchards with any symptoms of European canker would be disqualified from export.
- Establishment of area freedom for apple leafcurling midge and apple maggot. Alternatively, an effective treatment could be used for all export lots.
- Establishment of areas of low pest prevalence for codling moth, oriental fruit moth, cherry fruitworm and lesser appleworm. Alternatively, an effective treatment could be used for all export lots.
- Inspection for all other quarantine pests with remedial action taken (treatment or withdrawal of the lot) if any are detected.
Full details of the proposed measures are available in the draft IRA report.
The draft report and information about the regulated IRA process are available on www.biosecurityaustralia.gov.au. Printed copies are available, if required.
Comments on the draft IRA report should be submitted by 21 December 2009 to:
Office of the Chief Executive
Biosecurity Australia
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
E-mail: Plant Biosecurity
Confidentiality
Stakeholders are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received in response to Biosecurity Australia Advices will be publicly available and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter.The Commonwealth of Australia reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act 1988.
The contents of the submission will only be treated as confidential if they are marked ‘confidential’ and they can be classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Dr Colin Grant
Chief Executive
Contact: Vanessa Findlay
Tel:+61 2 6272 3933
Fax: +61 2 6272 4333