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EDITION 3 | MARCH 2024
Message from the CEO
Welcome to the March issue of Tendrils!
The first quarter of 2024 has been extremely productive with PHA represented at numerous biosecurity industry events, a meeting with our Board, participating in national committees, finalising our Mid-Year Performance Report and developing our 2024-25 Annual Operational Plan (AOP).
AOP webinar
Invitations for the Annual Operational Plan (AOP) webinar with the registration link have been sent to Member representatives. The AOP webinar will take place from 2:00 - 3:30pm (AEDT) on Thursday, 28 March 2023.
A buzzworthy cause: Bee Pest Blitz
It’s almost time for the second annual Bee Pest Blitz campaign. This month-long campaign encourages all Australian beekeepers to inspect their hives for high priority pests such as varroa and tropilaelaps mites.
FMD quick guide for mixed producers
PHA has developed a FMD quick guide to help plant industries and mixed farming operations to prepare for animal and plant pest and disease outbreaks and identify business opportunities that could arise.
Be response-ready with ILO training
PHA recently held Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) training in Orange, NSW. Attendees share their ILO training experience.
Empowering Indigenous rangers: a journey towards forest biosecurity
As part of the Safeguarding Indigenous Led Forestry project, representatives from PHA, the NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, QLD Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and University of Sunshine Coast met for a planning meeting in February 2024.
Investing in biosecurity preparedness to protect against pests
The Vegetable industry biosecurity and business continuity strategy project is a collaboration between industry, government and research agencies to create a biosecurity framework for the vegetable industry that provides an adaptable flexible approach to prepare for and respond should a new pest arrive.
eLearning course for the Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD)
PHA is pleased to announce the launch of a new online learning course for the Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD), titled: Introduction to the Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD).
New EPPRD version issued
A new version of the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) was issued on Monday 4 March 2024, capturing changes in contact details and crop representation.
Have your say: rules and regulations for levies legislation
Agricultural levy payers and industry bodies have a chance to give their feedback on draft regulations and rules that are part of modernising the agricultural levies legislation.
The Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA) appoints new CEO
The Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA) has appointed a new CEO, Trevor Dunmall, previously Biosecurity Planning Manager at Plant Health Australia.
New sustainable biosecurity funding advisory panel
A new Sustainable Biosecurity Funding Advisory Panel will boost transparency for farmers and importers by giving them a say on biosecurity priorities.
New Qfly outbreaks declared in SA
A Queensland fruit fly outbreak has been declared in Salisbury North and Barmera B. Check the fruit fly outbreak map to see if you're living or working in the red outbreak area, or yellow suspension area, and find out what you need to do.
Investment in R&D crucial for advancing Australian agriculture
Research and development (R&D) funding for Australian agriculture in the fiscal year 2022-23 amounted to $2.32 billion, according to a new report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
Varroa mite detected at Port of Brisbane
On 19 February 2024, Biosecurity Queensland detected a single suspect Varroa jacobsoni mite in one of the six sentinel hives of Apis mellifera at the Port of Brisbane.
Horticulture Awards for Excellence open
The Horticulture Awards for Excellence acknowledge and highlight Australasia's industry-leading growers and industry members. Nominations are now open.
CSIRO breakthrough to boost disease resistance in crops
Decades of research in synthetic biology, genetics and molecular plant pathology have yielded a major breakthrough in molecular plant pathology.
Progress in canola sclerotinia management research
Curtin University’s Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) researchers have recently developed an efficient and consistent method to infect plants with sclerotinia that in future could be used to screen canola lines for resistance.
Methyl Bromide fumigation revoked in TAS, SA and WA
In December 2023, state and territory biosecurity agencies received research findings that indicated methyl bromide disinfestation schedules are not suitable for mangoes, as they did not provide adequate control for Queensland fruit fly (Qfly).
Women in agriculture eligible for scholarships
Partial scholarships of $1,000 - $5,000 are available to help women in farming and agriculture industries to participate in our world-class leadership courses.
FutureAg Expo 2024: 17-19 April 2024
FutureAg Expo 2024 is coming up from 17-19 April 2024 at the Melbourne showgrounds. The event offers an exciting platform for leaders in agribusiness to connect, learn and share innovation.
GRDC leads $42M biosecurity initiative
A $42.7 million national biosecurity initiative led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with five state government departments, is set to transform the effectiveness and responsiveness of Australia’s grains biosecurity system.
ABARES showcases 20 years
The latest ABARES Snapshot of Australian agriculture showcases the industry’s significant growth, with the gross value of agricultural production increasing by more than 51% in the last 20 years, from $62.2 billion to $94.3 billion.
GRDC fall armyworm webinar recording
Tune into a recording of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) webinar on fall armyworm (FAW) management considerations and risk assessment.
Latest from Prevent Fruit Fly
Cancelled – NFFC 2024 Think Tank Series webinar #1
Due to unforeseen circumstances we've cancelled our first 2024 Think Tank webinar on 'Protecting Australia from exotic fruit flies' that was scheduled for 28 March.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused but we are hoping to reschedule the webinar in future. Please keep an eye out for future webinars as part of the 2024 Think Tank Series by subscribing to the Prevent Fruit Fly newsletter and by following us on Twitter (X).
If you have already registered for the webinar, no action is required.
ATGA releases resources on managing Qfly
The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA) recently released a number of resources on managing Queensland fruit fly, including a video series Bait Like a Boss.
Latest from Grains Farm Biosecurity
New SA Grains Biosecurity Officer
The Grains Farm Biosecurity Program welcomes Jordan Scott as the new Grains Biosecurity Officer (GBO) for South Australia (SA). GBO’s are at the frontline of protecting Australia’s second largest agricultural industry by helping growers manage biosecurity risks at a farm and industry level.
Latest from Farm Biosecurity
FBP co-sponsors Hort Connections delegate lanyards
We are excited to announce that the Farm Biosecurity Program (FBP) will once again co-sponsor delegate lanyards at this year’s Hort Connections, taking place in Melbourne from 3 – 5 June.
Staff movements
The past month has seen some exciting developments for the team at PHA. Congratulations to Biosecurity Planning Manager Trevor Dunmall, who recently accepted the role of CEO of the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA), a PHA Member.
Trevor has played an important role in developing, reviewing, and seeking endorsement of biosecurity plans across different plant industries. He joined PHA in July 2017 as Industry Liaison Manager – Northern Australia Plant Biosecurity, where he led PHA’s engagement with our northern plant industry members. In 2021 Trevor was promoted to the role of Biosecurity Planning Manager and in 2024 alone, PHA produced six Biosecurity Plans. He has led countless technical expert group and biosecurity reference panel meetings across many of our member industries and written many milestone and progress reports. Please join us in wishing Trevor all the best for an exciting future at AMIA.
This month we also welcome Michelle Jones, who joined PHA as Finance Officer. Michelle brings over 15 years of finance experience across numerous industries with expertise in financial management, small business accounting with a proven history of improving efficiencies in accounting report and processes. We are excited to have her on board to support the finance team not only in accounts receivable, payable and payroll functions but also in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation including training and process documentation.
We would also like to congratulate several PHA staff who were successful in their applications to move to different roles. Kirsten Schulz will shortly transition to Project Officer: Partnerships, Evie Kielnhofer, will move to Project Officer: Biosecurity Planning, and Rachel Mann will be the new Manager: EPPRD (Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed), with Carolyn Blomley also joining the EPPRD team as Emergency Response Coordinator.
Out and about
The PHA Board visited Boratto Farms in Victoria following the February Board Meeting in Melbourne.
Following the Board Meeting in Victoria, the PHA Board visited Agriculture Victoria where they toured the lab and took a look at the new mobile lab van.
PHA’s Naomi Wynn, A/Manager Learning and Development, presented the ILO training workshop held in Orange, NSW in February.
PHA’s bee team Sarah Hilton, Kathryn Pagler, and Jonathan Terlich met with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Mary-Finlay Doney to discuss this year’s upcoming Bee Pest Blitz campaign.
PHA’s CEO Sarah Corcoran and GM: Partnerships and Innovation, Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, met with the Freight and Trade Alliance (FTA) Pty Ltd and the Invasive Species Council to discuss the Biosecurity Protection Levy and FTA’s three-point plan proposal.
PHA’s Biosecurity Planning and Implementation Officer, Rebecca Powderly, presented to students in the Biology Society at the ANU in March.
PHA met with key representatives from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Renee Pizzuta, Zelko Biki and Gerald H. Smith to explore synergies between the two organisations.
National Fruit Fly Council (NFFC) Chair John Webster visited the PHA office in Canberra to meet with Stuart Burgess, NFFC Manager, PHA’s CEO Sarah Corcoran, and GM: Partnerships and Innovation, Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen.
Our CEO Sarah Corcoran was the MC for the inaugral Citrus Australia Biosecurity Symposium 2024 at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort in Maroochydore. Image: Citrus Australia.
Rohan Burgess, PHA’s Surveillance Manager, attended a Tasmanian Forest Training workshop in Hobart in February.
