18 April 2019
This Biosecurity Advice announces the formal commencement of the Pest Risk Analysis for Fresh Cut Flowers and Foliage Imports – Part 2.
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the department) will prepare a draft report, which is expected to be released for public consultation in mid-2019.
Fresh cut flowers and foliage have been imported into Australia on a commercial basis for over 45 years. With this trade comes the potential to introduce unwanted pests and diseases into Australia.
On 1 March 2018, the department introduced revised import conditions for cut flower and foliage imports, following a review of import conditions, to reduce the number of pests that arrive at Australia’s borders on cut flowers and foliage.
The department initiated a pest risk analysis (PRA) for the cut flower and foliage pathway to assess the biosecurity risks posed by key pest groups associated with cut flower and foliage imports to Australia, and to determine whether the revised import conditions effectively manage the biosecurity risks to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.
On 11 July 2018 the department announced the commencement of Part 1 of the PRA for cut flower and foliage imports, and on 14 November 2018 released the draft report for public consultation. Part 1 of the PRA assesses the three main pest groups being intercepted at the border on imported cut flowers and foliage — thrips, aphids and mites.
Part 2 of the PRA focuses on all other pest groups that are also found on the cut flower and foliage pathway that were not reviewed in Part 1 (such as leaf miner flies, caterpillars, true plant bugs).
The department will prepare a draft report for Part 2 of the PRA, which is expected to be released for public consultation in mid-2019. Another Biosecurity Advice will be issued to invite comment at that time. The department will consider all stakeholder comments received during the consultation period in preparing the final report.
Stakeholder enquiries in relation to this pest risk analysis can be directed to the Industry Liaison Officer for cut flowers and foliage:
Industry Liaison Officer (Cut Flowers and Foliage)
P: (02) 6272 5094
E:
Plant Stakeholders
Stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses are invited to subscribe via the department’s online subscription service. By subscribing to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Plant, stakeholders will receive Biosecurity Advices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy, including this risk analysis.
Dr Marion Healy
First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1)
Email:
Imports