Alerts

Changes have been made to the way detections of contaminant seeds are managed in imported horticultural fresh produce and fresh cut flowers and foliage.

Who does this alert affect:

Importers and brokers of horticultural fresh produce and fresh cut flowers and foliage, Client Contact Group and Pathway Operations Cargo –Inspections, and Science and Surveillance Group (SSG).

What are the changes:

There are operational changes to the management of contaminants in imported horticultural fresh produce and fresh cut flowers and foliage:

1. Where contaminant seeds are detected at on-arrival inspection of fresh cut flowers and foliage, importers may elect to recondition goods prior to a preliminary seed identification being available. This brings the management of contaminant seeds in cut flowers consignments in line with the process for reconditioning contaminant seeds on horticultural fresh produce.
2. Importers now have the option of sending contaminant seeds detected on horticultural fresh produce or fresh cut flowers and foliage to an ISTA accredited laboratory for taxonomic identification.  All costs associated with further identification must be covered by the importer.
3. If goods are successfully reconditioned while a seed identification is pending, the goods may be released (where all other import conditions are met). Successfully completed means it has passed inspection following an unsupervised inspection or completed a supervised reconditioning. Please note all costs associated with the further identification must still be covered by the importer.

Note: Supervised reconditioning can be conducted at the discretion of biosecurity officers where it is practical and resources are available.

The following ISTA approved laboratories are approved for taxonomic identification of contaminant seeds detected on perishable consignments:

• DDLS Seed Testing and Certification (AA site: W1624)
  Seed Testing Station
  Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, Western Australia 6151
  
• Bureau Veritas AsureQuality Australia (AA site: V2774)
  BVAQ 3–5 Lilee Crescent, Tullamarine, Victoria 3043
  
• Australian Seed Labs (AA site: Q2898)
  71-73 Croft Crescent, Toowoomba, QLD 4350
  
• SA Seed Laboratory (AA site: S1188)
  Department of Primary Industry & Regions SA - PIRSA
  Plant Research Centre
  Gate 2A, Hartley Grove, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, South Australia 5001
  
• Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment (AA site: T1234)
  165 Westbury Rd, Prospect Vale, Tasmania 7250

Further information:

For additional information on this BICON Alert, you can email Plant Import Operations Branch (subject line, T2-Fresh perishables) or phone 1800 900 090.