Production nurseries

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

In 2017–18, nursery production (propagation stock, vegetable and forestry seedlings, bedding plants, indoor plants, fruit and landscape trees and shrubs) was valued at $1 billion (LVP). The industry has a limited export focus of approximately $18 million annually, however there is ample opportunity for international export growth.

The nursery industry operates in all states and territories, being one of the largest and most diverse plant industries in Australia. The industry estimates an annual gross production value of approximately $2.5 billion (production nurseries only) will occur in 2020 across the entire supply chain. Greenlife member nurseries supply to ornamental retail, landscape, revegetation, rehabilitation and production horticulture sectors including tree crops (e.g. fruit, 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.

In early 2018, Greenlife Industry Australia achieved certification and recognition of BioSecure HACCP as an Approved Biosecurity Scheme under the Queensland Biosecurity Act 2014, the first such recognition of a third party certification program in Australia. This was followed by NSW providing equivalent certification under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 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, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, SA and WA 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.