This October marks 20 years of the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD).

The EPPRD is a government-industry partnership that outlines national governance and investment in responding to and eradicating Emergency Plant Pests (EPP). Under it, impacted growers may also be eligible for reimbursement of certain costs or losses on account of response activities, known as Owner Reimbursement Costs (ORCs).

As custodian of the EPPRD, Plant Health Australia (PHA) is the national coordinator of the partnership for plant biosecurity in Australia.

On 26 October 2005, the EPPRD was ratified with the Australian Government, four state governments, twelve industry bodies and PHA. South Australia became the first government to sign, followed by Victoria and Western Australia. Early industry adopters included grains, bananas, sugarcane, apples and pears. It created the foundation for coordinated investment and joint decision-making.

The EPPRD provided a powerful, legally binding agreement based on a beneficiary model to ensure that those who benefit from plant or disease pest eradication are involved in decision-making and funding. The introduction of ORCs provided a framework to calculate potential payments to an individual for specific, defined costs or losses incurred following the implementation of a response plan to an EPP

The EPPRD works alongside PLANTPLAN, Australia’s national framework for responding to plant pest incursions. Together they provide structure, procedures and clear guidelines of responsibility during biosecurity incidents.

Today, all state and territory governments and the Australian Government are signatories, along with 37 peak industry bodies representing the vast majority of crops grown in Australia. Under the EPPRD, 23 cost-shared Response Plans have been delivered.

As the EPPRD turns 20, its impact has strengthened national biosecurity capability and shown the strength of a genuine partnership between government and industry. That partnership remains central to protecting Australia’s plant industries, environment and communities into the future.

Learn more about the EPPRD and how it works: https://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/response-arrangements/emergency-plant-pest-response-deed-epprd.