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EDITION 21 | OCTOBER 2022
Message from the CEO
Welcome to the October edition of Tendrils. We've had another productive month at Plant Health Australia (PHA), convening Board Meeting #108 in Mildura, completing PHA's Annual Report, and holding the first PestBlitz field triage workshop in Adelaide.
PHA Board meetings
The PHA Board met from 19 – 21 September, 2022 in Mildura, Victoria, for Board Meeting #108.
Read more
Board meeting #109 is scheduled to be held Thursday, 1 December 2022 at the PHA office in Canberra, ACT.
Member meetings
Members are asked to take note of upcoming member meetings.
Date: 29 – 30 November, 2022
Venue: East Hotel, Canberra ACT
More information will be provided in the near future.
Updates to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD)
Administrative amendments were recently made to the schedules of the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD). Changes include updated details and contact officers for several Parties, and an update to several Biosecurity Statements for Parties.
Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series 2022
PHA's Dr Mila Bristow, General Manager, Partnerships and Innovation, presented an overview on Indigenous-led forestry in northern Australia and how this project improves plant biosecurity outcomes.
PestBlitz Workshop boosts diagnostic capacity for plant production industries
PHA's first PestBlitz field triage workshop was held in September in Adelaide. Facilitated by Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, National Manager, Diagnostics, the workshop was designed to help attendees build skills in sample collection and processing, with diagnostic experts sharing their experience and training.
Promoting biosecurity in Indigenous-led forestry enterprises
PHA joined project partners, the Northern Territory Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the University of the Sunshine Coast, on six field campaigns to understand what needs to be done, taught and learned to make biosecurity ‘business-as-usual’ in Indigenous-led forestry enterprises in the Northern Territory.
AUSVEG launches new video series
‘Behind the Farm Gate’ features interviews with horticulture businesses and employees to provide insights into what working on a vegetable farm is really like.
Government launches Export Supply Chain Service (ESCS)
The ESCS shares insights into complex supply chain and logistics issues, to help stakeholders navigate volatile international markets.
New ehub helps keep track of fall armyworm (FAW)
New Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) site provides access to the latest FAW research, development and extension activities for horticulture.
Growing the Australian vegetable industry
Vegetable industry growth has significantly outpaced the overall agricultural sector over the past five decades, due to changes in consumer incomes and tastes. Read the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Report.
PASE grants to establish & maintain international market access
An Australian Government grant has helped create an online training platform for small-to-medium seafood exporters and those aspiring to access overseas markets.
A new resource for strawberry varieties
Find out the latest on new strawberry varieties developed by elite breeders from around the world, with significant increases in disease resistance.
Panama TR4 update from QDAF
Find out about the 2022-2023 Surveillance schedule for Panama TR4 and read the Far North Queensland situation update.
SRA innovation funding round opens
Sugar Research Australia (SRA) is funding research and innovation for specific industry challenges to improve productivity and profitability of the Australian sugarcane industry.
Vinehealth Australia's new shoe cover solution
SafeSolz, a new shoe cover solution made from compostable materials is on track for launch within the next 12 months.
iMapPESTS mobile insect surveillance
The iMapPESTS sentinel surveillance for agriculture has commenced a trial of its mobile insect surveillance unit in Ayr, Queensland.
Melons Australia roadshows in October
Melons Australia has invited industry leading representatives to discuss various areas highlighted as interest by Melon growers and stakeholders across Australia.
New National Forest Biosecurity Manager for AFPA
In recognition of the heightened importance of effective biosecurity, the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has recruited expert, Paco Tovar as its new National Forest Biosecurity Manager.
Latest from Prevent Fruit Fly
NFFC sponsors 11th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance
We are excited to announce that the National Fruit Fly Council is one of the sponsors of the 11th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance that will be held at Macquarie University in Sydney from 13 – 18 November 2022.
Latest from Grains Farm Biosecurity
On the biosecurity frontline
Specialist grains biosecurity officers (GBOs) operate in each of the grain growing regions of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. The GBOs work with the Grains Farm Biosecurity Program (GFBP), which is Australia’s flagship biosecurity extension program, managed by Plant Health Australia (PHA) and funded by growers through Grain Producers Australia and state governments.
The right spring-clean keeps insects away
Warmer temperatures and longer days are a timely reminder to start preparing and planning for harvest. With another La Niña on the way, effective grain hygiene, handling and storage, plays a key part in maximising returns.
Latest from Farm Biosecurity
Congratulations to 2023 Nuffield Scholar Regan Lynch!
Congratulations to Regan Lynch, a Queensland-based veterinarian, who won a 2023 Nuffield Scholarship sponsored by the Farm Biosecurity Program. Regan will use her scholarship to explore the cultural changes and attitudes to farm biosecurity in Australia and in countries undergoing or having undergone significant disease eradication programs.
Footbath foundations add layer of protection on-farm
While foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has not been detected in Australia, having a footbath on-farm provides your property and our broader industry with an added layer of protection against the devastation of a disease outbreak.
Out and about
PHA's CEO, Sarah Corcoran, at the recent National Biosecurity Committee field trip in Hobart, hosted by Biosecurity Tasmania.
PHA’s Naomi Wynn, Learning and Development Officer, presented at the PestBlitz five-day field triage workshop held in Adelaide in September.
PHA's Dr Mila Bristow, General Manager, Partnerships and Innovation and Rohan Burgess, Surveillance Project Coordinator attended the first National Myrtle Rust Working Group meeting in Brisbane.
Chris Warrick from the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Grains Biosecurity Officers Jim Moran and Shafiya Hussein recently conducted a workshop at Wayne Hawkins Farm in Francis, South Australia, on best on-farm grains storage practices.
Fruit Fly Engagement Coordinator Chris O’Connor recently attended the Building Capacity in Phytosanitary Irradiation Strategic Workshop hosted by Agriculture Victoria in Melbourne, where they visited Steritech’s Merrifield facility.
Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, National Manager, Diagnostics, with members, invited speakers and guests at the Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostics, held in Perth.
Staff movements
Welcome Gavin Edwards, Luke McKee and congrats Kathryn!
In the past month PHA welcomed both Gavin Edwards and Luke McKee, who respectively joined the Preparedness team and the RD&E team as Project Officers.
We also congratulate Kathryn Pagler, who recently graduated with first class honours in a Bachelor of Applied Science! One of our bee biosecurity project officers, Kathryn’s thesis was titled ‘The Nature of European Honey Bee Gut Microbes in Australia’.
