Latest Articles

For previous years’ media releases, please visit the Media release archive.

Annual Diagnostics and Surveillance Workshop 2023

March 28, 2023

The Annual Surveillance Workshop (ASW) and the Annual Diagnostics Workshop (ADW) are networking events for plant biosecurity diagnosticians and surveillance practitioners to come together to share knowledge and learnings.

This year the joint Annual Diagnostics and Surveillance Workshop (ADSW) will be held in Canberra at the QT Hotel 9 –11 May 2023. More

Board Meeting 110

March 27, 2023

The Plant Health Australia (PHA) Board recently travelled to Brisbane, Queensland to hold Board Meeting 110 (BM110). Their itinerary included spending valuable time with Members discussing priorities and gaining an increased understanding of the importance of biosecurity within their operations. More

Message from the CEO

February 28, 2023

Welcome to the second edition of Tendrils for 2023.

Agrifood tech innovation and biosecurity work hand-in-hand to increase productivity and strengthen food safety to ensure produce moves safely from the farm-to-the fork. Together these elements enhance our ability to build a strong biosecurity system and ensure food security. More

A nationally integrated surveillance system

February 28, 2023

Australia’s current surveillance system is facing significant challenges created by growing levels of trade, changing product pathways, agricultural expansion and intensification, an increase of urbanisation close to crop production areas, and climate change. More

Scoping a centralised HTS database

February 28, 2023

Australia has an increasing need for fast and accurate identification of plant pests. High Throughput Sequencing (HTS), also known as next-generation sequencing or deep sequencing, is a significant new method in plant health diagnostics.

HTS generates massive datasets, and the increasing amount of data being generated on pests and pathogens of plants has emphasised the need for a secure, centralised platform that allows the submission, sharing and analysis of standardised HTS data. More

National Action Plan Workshops for Timber and Tree Pests

February 28, 2023

PHA is delivering a series of workshops starting in Perth on 22 February 2023 to help develop a National Action Plan for Pests of Timber and Trees.

The first tranche of workshops will be delivered at multiple locations around Australia to discuss key issues and identify specific actions to address pests of timber and trees. More

CitrusWatch bolsters industry biosecurity capacity

February 28, 2023

The Australian citrus industry is a large and vibrant horticultural industry, with over 28,000 hectares of citrus planted by approximately 1,400 growers . This industry provides significant value to rural communities and the wider economy, and without adequate preparedness future biosecurity threats pose serious risks to the $942 million industry. More

Forestry consultation on the Timber/Tree workshops

January 23, 2023

A project to develop a nationally agreed approach to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pests of timber and trees that pose significant economic and social risk to Australia’s forest industry has commenced.

The National Action Plan (NAP) for Pests of Trees and Timber, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), will describe priority areas for a national approach to prevent, detect, respond and cross-cutting issues related to exotic pests threatening Australian timber and trees. More

Scoping a HTS database for a connected diagnostics system

January 23, 2023

High throughput sequencing (HTS) technology is being used to increase Australia’s plant pest diagnostic capacity, and deliver rapid, more accurate results to support our agribusiness and our environment.

HTS generates massive datasets and the increasing amount of data being generated on plant pests has emphasised the need for a secure, centralised platform to allow the submission, sharing and analysis of genomic data. More

Message from the CEO

January 23, 2023

At Plant Health Australia (PHA), we’ve started the year with a calendar full of exciting projects, collaborations and events. Of note in the first six months is the Plant Surveillance Network Australasia-Pacific’s National Forest Pest Surveillance webinar and evokeAg (February) Northern Australia Food Futures Conference (May), Hort Connections (June) and the National Fruit Fly Symposium (July). More