Growers, agronomists, extension professionals and international researchers gathered at a recent series of workshops to improve preparedness for a high priority exotic fly pest, spotted wing drosophila.
Plant Health Australia, CESAR and Plant & Food Research New Zealand are working together on a Hort Innovation funded project to improve the preparedness of horticultural industries for the exotic fly. More
At the end of October, Plant Health Australia’s Executive Director and CEO, Greg Fraser, and other staff spent two days in Melbourne facilitating a workshop for a project to develop a plant pest surveillance network in Australia’s botanic gardens and arboreta. More
There were three events related to forest biosecurity in August and September 2018. They were:
The National Forest Biosecurity Surveillance Group (NFBSG) met for the first time in Sydney on 1 August. The group is made up key stakeholders in Australia’s forests including representatives from federal and state government agencies, Plant Health Australia and the environment and community sectors. More
Giant pine scale was first confirmed in Victoria in 2014 and poses a significant risk to Australia’s softwood plantation industry, parks, forests, and residential properties if not properly managed.
This small scale insect sucks the sap of pine, fir and spruce trees, sometimes killing the tree. More
The quest to better manage fruit flies in Australia was the focus of a National Fruit Fly Symposium in Melbourne on 14-15 August 2018.
Around 90 people attended the symposium representing Australia’s horticultural industries, researchers, pest control advisers and government agencies. More
Australian governments and the beekeeping industry are improving their readiness to respond to a detection of varroa mite (Varroa destructor) by taking part in Exercise Bee Prepared.
In this exercise program, PHA facilitates the delivery of workshops across the country, testing how to rapidly respond to a detection of this serious pest of honey bees. More
Beekeepers nationally, commercial and hobby, are being urged to adopt the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice to keep their bees healthy and to safeguard honey bee and pollination dependent industries.
Honey production is worth more than $100 million annually, along with sales of beeswax, queen and packaged bees. More
The latest go-to guide to how Australia protects itself against exotic plant pests and diseases reveals the tremendous effort being made across the country to sustain our plant industries, unique ecosystems and standards of living.
The tenth edition of the National Plant Biosecurity Status Report was released this week by Plant Health Australia (PHA), the national coordinator of the government-industry partnership for plant biosecurity. More
Staff of Plant Health Australia (PHA) attended the 3rd Australian Bee Congress. The congress program was filled with world-class speakers who presented on a wide range of topics. It was also a fabulous opportunity to meet beekeepers and discuss biosecurity issues affecting the Australian honey bee industry. More
