A new biosecurity plan has been launched to enhance the Australian cotton industry’s ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to exotic pest and disease threats.

The cotton industry is an integral part of Australia’s economy, contributing over $2 billion annually and employing more than 12,000 people. In favourable seasons, Australia is ranked the world’s third-largest cotton exporter, supplying key markets in China, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Thailand.

Protecting the industry from evolving biosecurity threats, such as exotic pests and diseases, is vital for safeguarding market access and ensuring the industry’s sustainability both domestically and internationally.

The plan was developed in collaboration with industry leaders and biosecurity experts, and identifies over 170 plant pests and disease threats that pose a risk to Australian cotton. Of these, 10 have been identified as high-priority threats, with a particular focus on those with the potential of severe economic impact.

Plant Health Australia (PHA) in partnership with the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), Cotton Australia and other industry stakeholders, led the plan’s development. The collaborative effort included consultation with government partners to incorporate a wide range of expertise.

The process to identify and assess the current pest and disease threats involved detailed research and analysis based on several key factors, including:

• the probability that the pest or disease would enter Australia, considering global distribution, trade pathways, and host range
• the risk of the pest or disease spreading and establishing itself within Australia
• the potential economic impact, drawing on international case studies, research, and available control mechanisms.

The plan also reviewed existing resources and tools to prepare for and manage these threats, identifying gaps in current preparation efforts. More than 28 activities have been highlighted to bolster biosecurity, including increased education, training and simulation exercises to prepare the industry for potential incursions.

The identified activities will be rolled out over the life of the plan (2023-2028) and align with the key priority areas of the National Biosecurity Strategy 2022-2032. A number of these priorities are already being addressed by the industry. This proactive approach will help the Australian cotton industry encourage and maintain domestic and international trade and reduce the social and economic impacts of pest incursions.

The plan recognises that biosecurity is a shared responsibility between industry, government, and other stakeholders. To foster effective partnerships, the plan outlines several initiatives to coordinate actions and resources across the biosecurity system, ensuring a unified approach to managing threats.

Want to learn more?

• Access the Cotton Biosecurity Plan🔗 on the Cotton Australia website.
• Read the Biosecurity Plan for the Australian Cotton Industry Fact Sheet🔗
• Learn about Australia’s biosecurity system through the Biosecurity OnLine Learning Tool (BOLT) platform 🔗and Industry resource toolkit 🔗
• Join PHA’s training programs, such as face-to-face Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) training. For more details, contact the PHA training team at training@phau.com.au
• Find more resources on Plant Health Australia’s Resource Centre.