Plant Health Australia (PHA) recently participated in FutureAg Expo 2024, held from April 17 to 19 at the Melbourne Showground, in Victoria. This event brought together a broad range of agricultural industry professionals, including farmers, industry leaders, government officials, and other stakeholders from Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.

For PHA, the expo was a critical opportunity for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration, and reinforced the shared commitment to securing the future of agriculture and strengthening the biosecurity system in Australia.

An event highlight was PHA’s CEO Sarah Corcoran’s participation in a biosecurity panel discussion alongside leaders from Agriculture Victoria, AUSVEG and Sheep Producers Australia. Together, they explored initiatives aimed at strengthening biosecurity partnerships and leveraging technology.

On the exhibition floor, PHA’s digital systems team Adam Hurrell and Jimmy Lu, engaged with a diverse range of attendees, including farmers, educators, entomologists, students, and government representatives. The team detailed PHA’s work and role as the national coordinator of the government-industry partnership for plant biosecurity, with a focus on PHA’s digital systems.

The introduction of AUSPestCheck® to expo attendees was a focal point, showcasing its role in collating, sharing, and visualising surveillance data, promoting collaboration among various participants including jurisdictional departments and industry bodies across Australia. Additionally, PHA’s Australian Plant Pest Database and PaDIL platform were highlighted for their contributions to biodiversity and biosecurity information management, particularly in assisting diagnostic processes and taxonomic identification.

The enthusiasm from attendees reflects the growing recognition and the importance of biosecurity in safeguarding our agriculture industries. Enquiries from international visitors, including those from China, India, and Papua New Guinea, also indicated a keen interest in learning from Australia’s biosecurity system and exploring potential collaborations.