Renewed focus on citrus biosecurity

Renewed focus on citrus biosecurity

29-Aug-2016

Citrus Australia took part in a National Citrus Surveillance Workshop in Melbourne last week.
The Workshop was part of the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper funding.
Citrus Australia, Horticulture Innovation Australia, Plant Biosecurity CRC, Plant Health Australia and State and Federal Government departments investigated how best to invest funding from the program into citrus-specific biosecurity measures.
“The workshop was the first stage to develop a national, standardised program,” Citrus Australia CEO Judith Damiani said.
“We explored current programs to identify existing groups and areas that would benefit from further work, either in areas of Australia, or diagnostic work.
The workshop explored enhancing surveillance and specifying key exotic pests as areas to invest funds in the future.
“The group agreed to improve current areas of work, and also concentrate on standardising what we’re doing.”
Further areas of discussion included creating a robust database, new trapping methods and further areas of research.
Plant Health Australia will now submit a report and an implementation plan from the workshop for a national surveillance strategy for citrus.