Title: National plant health status report official launch
[Plant Heath Australia - 2 March 2010] Australia now has a single document that provides a current and concise overview of its plant health system. The National Plant Health Status Report 08/09 was launched today at the Global Biosecurity 2010 Conference by Plant Health Australia (PHA), the lead coordinating body for plant biosecurity in Australia. The 180 page Report provides a wealth of information covering the plant pests of greatest concern to Australian industries, the organisations and processes involved in keeping Australia’s agricultural and forestry industries free from pests, and innovative plant health research projects currently being undertaken by Australian research organisations and universities. It is a consolidated summary of the system that helps protect Australian agricultural and forestry industries, worth more than $45 billion a year, from plant pests.
“This Report provides policy and decision makers across governments and industries an overview of the sophisticated biosecurity system responsible for protecting Australia’s food supply and product markets. It is a useful reference manual for educators and those providing support and commercial services to the plant industry. It also demonstrates the robustness of Australia’s plant health system and should build confidence in the quality of Australian plant products,” said Dr Tony Gregson, Chairman of Plant Health Australia.
The National Plant Health Status Report identifies, among other things, details for the 2008/09 financial year nearly 300 high priority plant pests that are exotic or of significant quarantine concern to Australia. It also highlights over seven hundred biosecurity research and development projects currently underway or completed in Australia, and the 137 surveillance programs targeting plant pests of concern across the country.
“The cooperation between all the stakeholders, both government and industry, that helped develop the National Plant Health Status Report has been remarkable and I would like to thank everyone involved,” said Greg Fraser, Executive Director and CEO of Plant Health Australia. A copy of the National Plant Health Status Report is available on the PHA website at planthealthaustra….
Article: WeedsNews331 (permalink) Date: 4 March 2010; 12:20:11 PM AEDT