The Plant Health Australia (PHA) Board of Directors were hosted by AUSVEG at their National Office in Glen Iris, Victoria for Board Meeting 114 (BM114) over 27–29 February 2024.

BM114 was the first full meeting of the Board following the appointment of a new Chair and Deputy Chair at BM113 in November 2023. The Board discussed several matters of importance to the Company and its Members which included:

• review and approval of the Mid-Year Performance Report for release
• approval of the Australian Seed Federation as an Associate Member of PHA, effective 27 February 2024
• review and consideration of PHA’s business model as part of a longer-term project of work by the Board to ensure the Company’s business model is fit-for-purpose and optimised to deliver on key objectives in the PHA Constitution
• approval and adoption of key updates to the Company’s Corporate Risk Register and risk governance procedures; and
• resolving to hold the 23^rd General Meeting of PHA on 30 May 2024.

Following BM114, the Board traveled to Werribee South and Bacchus Marsh to tour three vegetable farms: Fragapane Farms, Boratto Farms and Velisha Farms. They were joined by their AUSVEG hosts and other members of the PHA team which included General Manager (Partnerships & Innovation) Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen and National Manager (Partnerships) Mr Jonathan Terlich.

As part of the tour, the Board met with growers and discussed plant biosecurity issues and opportunities relating to the vegetable industry. They were also introduced to VegNET which is a successful school-based agricultural education program run by Velisha Farms.

The following day, Directors visited Agriculture Victoria’s AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience where they met with Victorian Government officials to discuss key plant health priorities and Victoria’s Biosecurity Strategy. The visit included a tour of the research laboratories at the facility and an Australia-first biosecurity diagnostic vehicle that aims to strengthen Victoria’s capacity to respond to any future outbreaks.

Their field trip ended with a visit to the Australia Post Melbourne Gateway Facility to experience the use of 3D X-ray technology in a biosecurity environment.

The Board looks forward to meeting with Members when BM115 is held in Sydney, New South Wales on 29 May 2024.