Greenlife Industry Australia represents the biosecurity interests of the industry. They are members of Plant Health Australia and signatories to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed. Their responsibilities include:
- biosecurity planning and implementation at the national and farm levels
- liaising with federal and state governments on trade issues
- funding and supporting biosecurity initiatives
- participating in national committees and response efforts in an emergency.
Industry overview
The nursery industry operates in all states and territories of Australia, being one of the largest and most diverse plant industries in the country. The industry estimates an annual gross production value of approximately $0.9 billion (production nurseries only) will occur in 2021 across the entire supply chain. Greenlife production nurseries supply to ornamental retail, landscape, revegetation, rehabilitation and production horticulture sectors including tree crops (e.g. fruit, berries, vines, tea tree), vegetables, forestry and cut flowers with a combined annual production value of more than $15 billion.
In 2016, Nursery Garden Industry Australia, NGIA (now Greenlife Industry Australia) developed the Australian Plant Production Standard website nurseryproductionfms.com.au which is the one-stop shop for industry biosecurity information for growers, including access to pest fact sheets, management plans, videos and an eLearning portal. The industry has consistently guided RD&E levy investment towards plant protection and biosecurity resources both at a strategic national level as well as at a grower level.
In early 2018, Greenlife Industry Australia achieved certification and recognition of BioSecure HACCP as an Approved Biosecurity Scheme under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Queensland), the first such recognition of a third party certification program in Australia. This was followed by New South Wales providing equivalent certification under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (New South Wales) in late December 2018.
Greenlife Industry Australia continues to work in partnership with state and territory governments on the roll out of BioSecure HACCP, with legal recognition for market access achieved in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia by the end of 2019. This allows certified producers to self-certify consignments of nursery stock for interstate market access and issue BioSecure HACCP Biosecurity Certificates.
The industry continues to build the online electronic plant pest identification resource Pest ID Tool pestid.com.au which combines information and images on endemic and key exotic plant pests that impact on production or trade.
Value of production and distribution
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Annual value of production nurseries, 2007–19

Distribution of production nurseries by state and territory, 201–19 (based on LVP)

Biosecurity plans, manuals and resources
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Industry Biosecurity Plan for the Nursery Industry
Biosecurity planning provides a mechanism for the production nursery industry, government and other relevant stakeholders to assess current biosecurity practices and future biosecurity needs. Planning identifies procedures that can be put in place to reduce the chance of pests reaching our borders or minimise the impact if a pest incursion occurs.
The Industry Biosecurity Plan for the Nursery Industry outlines key threats to the industry, risk mitigation plans, identification and categorisation of exotic pests and contingency plans. For a copy, please contact PHA on 02 6215 7700 or email admin@phau.com.au.
Biosecurity Manual for the Nursery Production Industry
The Biosecurity Manual for the Nursery Production Industry contains information to help producers to implement biosecurity on-farm. Manuals usually contain an overview of biosecurity, fact sheets to identify the high priority pests of a crop, tips on crop management, and how to manage people, vehicles and equipment to minimise biosecurity risks. Manuals also contain a biosecurity self-assessment list, and templates to record pest surveillance records and visitors.
More information about on-farm biosecurity for both plant and livestock producers is available from the Farm Biosecurity website.
Postcard
Promotional item to support the exotic plant pest hotline 1800 084 881.
Nursery and garden priority pest poster
Pests
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Exotic pests (not in Australia)
The following is a list of high priority exotic pests of production nurseries. These pests were identified during the development of the Industry Biosecurity Plan for the Nursery Industry in consultation with industry, government and scientists. They have been assessed as high priority pests based on their potential to enter, establish, and spread in Australia (eg environmental factors, host range, vectors) and the cost to industry of control measures.
PHA has a range of fact sheets, contingency plans and diagnostic protocols relevant to these pests. Pest risk review documents are also available for some pests. Please contact PHA on 02 6215 7700 or email admin@phau.com.au for more information.
Other pests
The following is a list of documents for other exotic and endemic pests of production nurseries. Please note that this is not a complete list of pests: rather it includes pests for which documents exist in the Pest Information Document Database.
Some of the documents presented here are not tailored to the production nursery industry and are included for information only.
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