No images? Click here
EDITION 23 | DECEMBER 2022
Message from the CEO
Plant Health Australia has a finger on the pulse of plant biosecurity. Read more in this edition of Tendrils - our final instalment for 2022.
PHA Meetings
Upcoming Board Meeting #110
Board Meeting #110 will be held Tuesday 28 February 2023 in Queensland.
The Annual Operational Plan webinar will take place on Thursday 30 March 2023.
The buzz about bee biosecurity in Australia
Episode 13 of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) Webinar Series took place on Wednesday 23 November and featured Dr Jenny Shanks, PHA’s Manager for Bee Biosecurity.
Biosecurity for Beekeepers Course
The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) and PHA, with assistance from Australia’s Bee Biosecurity Officers and original funding from AgriFutures Australia, have developed the Biosecurity for Beekeepers course.
National Diagnostic Protocols Webinar
The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN) hosted a webinar covering the development of National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) on Wednesday 23 November 2022.
CitrusWatch: Annual activity update
A collaboration between PHA, Citrus Australia, the Northern Territory Department of Industry Tourism and Trade, and Cesar Australia, CitrusWatch extends its reach from commercial production zones, to high-density, high-risk, high-traffic urban and peri-urban regions.
PHA Member meeting presentations
The hybrid 22nd Annual General Meeting and Member meetings were held in Canberra 29-30 November, 2022.
A copy of our Chair Steve McCutcheon’s address and the recording providing an update on the delivery of actions and key performance indicators (as detailed in the 2022-23 Annual Operational Plan (AOP)) is now available on our website.
National Plant Biosecurity Strategy: Action Plans for 2022-23 released
The first set of annual Action Plans have been released for the National Plant Biosecurity Strategy and its sub-strategies on preparedness, surveillance and diagnostics.
Launch of the National Forest Pest Surveillance Collaboration Agreement
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, officially launched the National Forest Pest Surveillance Collaboration Agreement last week.
The Collaboration Agreement outlines a partnership between the Australian Forest Products Association, PHA, DAFF, state and territory primary industry agencies, the Invasive Species Council, NRM Regions Australia and Forest and Wood Products Australia.
New ILO training
After significant review and consultation with plant industries, the new Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) training program will be launched in early 2023.
ILOs work within control centres during a plant biosecurity response, providing industry insights, knowledge, and expertise to on-ground response activities. The ILO’s role can include activities such as providing critical information on industry processes and systems, supply chain operations, surveillance practices used by industry, and engaging with affected growers.
Australian agriculture on a roll but where to next?
A two-part ABARES Insights series on changes to the agricultural landscape, trends and what’s coming next.
World Soil Day – soil needs a partnership approach
This year’s theme highlights the importance of healthy soil as a crucial element of food production.
New directory for Australian tech products
AgTech Finder is an online directory showcasing hundreds of Australian tech products.
Hort Innovation welcomes two new directors
The grower-owned Rural Research and Development Corporation continues to sharpen its focus on grower priorities.
Celebrating innovative farmers on AgDay
This year’s theme is innovation and how new technologies are making farming more productive and sustainable.
Industry best practice for pome fruit growers
Australian apple and pear growers are committed to good agricultural practices and food safety.
Berries Australia announces changes of the guard
Berries Australia and the Australian Blueberry Growers Association (ABGA) both elected new leaders at their October AGMs.
New Chair to lead Queensland horticulture
Growcom announces the appointment of a new Chair of the Board at their October AGM.
American foulbrood detected on Kangaroo Island
Beekeepers are reminded to be vigilant against American foulbrood following its detection in hives on Kangaroo Island.
2021 Norfolk Island Bee Pest Survey
Honey bees are vital to the ecosystem and culture of Norfolk Island. Up-to-date information on bee pests and diseases is critical to maintaining the Island's bee biosecurity.
Hands-free horticulture sees higher production
Labour use has decreased on Australian horticulture and dairy farms and increased on broadacre farms over the last few years, according to the latest ABARES survey results.
$22M for flood-affected primary industries supply chain
Agricultural businesses impacted by the 2022 floods are being assisted to re-establish operations through the Government’s $22 million Supply Chain Support Program.
Latest from Prevent Fruit Fly
The 11th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance (ISFFEI)
Last month the 11th ISFFEI was held at Macquarie University, Sydney. From 13-18 November, Sydney was host to scientists, researchers and those involved in plant protection agencies and phytosanitary operational programs, to share their knowledge, technologies and experiences.
Stuart Burgess, Manager National Fruit Fly Council, presented on how collaboration is key to a strong and robust national fruit fly system.
NFFC seeking expressions of interest for a new Chairperson
The National Fruit Fly Council are currently seeking expressions of interest from people who would like to join their dedicated Board in the role of Chairperson.
Latest from Grains Farm Biosecurity
Biosecurity risks with a wet harvest!
Australia is experiencing one of the wettest seasons in many years, with the third successive year in a La Nina cycle (a naturally occurring climatic event). As a result, grain producers are experiencing wet soil (mud), full rivers and dams, isolated flooding, and the threat of a wet harvest.
Out and about
Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen and Cheryl Grgurinovic attended the 14th Australasian Plant Virology Workshop, held in Melbourne 5-7 December.
Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, Dr Maggie Mwathi and Dr Harsh Garg hosted a NPBDN Webinar on NDPs development, held on 23 November 2022.
Stuart Kearns National Manager Preparedness and RD&E and Sarah Corcoran our CEO attended the Friends of Primary Producers on 8 November in Canberra.
Dr Matt Hill and Jessica Arnold attend a GovSteer meeting for AUSPestCheck on 28 November.
Sarah Corcoran attended the GrowCom Co Design Day for Future Fields Smart Farms, 24-25 November in Emerald.
Naomi Wynn, Jenny Shanks and Jessica Arnold attended the Oriental Fruit Fly Exercise in Sydney, 28 November.
The PHA Member meetings were held at East Hotel in Canberra 28-29 November.
Dr Sharyn Taylor, Dr Mila Bristow and Rohan Burgess attend the AFPA Members Dinner on 29 November in Canberra.
Staff movements
This month PHA welcomed two new staff members.
Dr Harsh Garg joined the Diagnostic team as Project Officer – Diagnostic and Surveillance Protocols. Harsh is an experienced Plant Pathologist and joins PHA from her previous role as the Senior Biosecurity Officer at DAFF. In this role, Harsh undertook tasks such as goods inspections on imported seed and plants to manage biosecurity risks, processing documentations, analysing diagnostic reports and stakeholder engagement.
Harsh has a PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Western Australia with the thesis topic of ‘Morphological, anatomical and biochemical changes associated with the infection processes of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in a resistant cultivar of Brassica napus’ where she designed an improved method for evaluating crop resistance against a plant pathogen. Harsh has a wealth of technical knowledge and experience in molecular biology, plant pathology, microscopy, statistics, stakeholder engagement and project management.
We also welcomed Somania Dahal who is the management accountant for Plant Health Australia with over seven years of experience in the accounting field. She completed her Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Accounting) degree in 2016 and her CPA in 2019. Somania has varied industry experience including software, retail, and the construction industry and has also collaborated with software developers to build and implement inhouse CRM and SaaS product. In her free time, Somania enjoys travelling and spending time in the great outdoors.
