Vinehealth Australia has undertaken a comprehensive review of the phylloxera-related conditions in SA’s Plant Quarantine Standard (PQS) and now seeks industry feedback on the proposed changes.
South Australia’s enviable phylloxera-free status is in part due to a set of conditions that outline entry requirements for grapes, grape products, machinery, equipment, grapevine material and vineyard soil that could carry phylloxera into the state. These conditions are contained in the SA PQS.
Last year, Vinehealth Australia developed a consolidated Condition 7 for grape phylloxera as a replacement for the current Conditions 7, 7A, 8 and 8A. This proposed new condition has been informed by a state pest risk analysis for grape phylloxera and an evaluation of recent phylloxera research around efficacy of disinfestation protocols.
The new Condition 7 includes 85 proposed changes which are categorised into three key themes:
- Completeness: ensuring entry conditions have been outlined for all risk pathways that can be regulated
- Science: integrating new science on phylloxera disinfestation treatments into practice
- Readability: improving industry’s ability to understand the entry conditions and how to comply with them
Vinehealth Australia has created a comprehensive PQS consultation pack, which is available at vinehealth.com.au/industry/sa-pqs-consultation and includes the proposed new Condition 7, a full list of proposed changes, the state pest risk analysis, an evaluation of recent phylloxera research, frequently asked questions and a feedback form.
“We’re now seeking industry feedback to the proposed changes, to ensure the review process is as comprehensive as possible,” said Vinehealth Australia CEO Inca Pearce. “We want to ensure we are doing everything in our legislative power as a state to prevent the entry of phylloxera into our vineyards.”
To facilitate the industry consultation stage, Vinehealth Australia:
- Has written to all SA vineyard owners on Vinehealth Australia’s vineyard register outlining the changes and inviting feedback
- Is holding meetings with regional associations and their viticulture or technical committees to go through each of the proposed changes
- Is inviting feedback from and notifying:
- wineries through SAWIA and WFA communication channels
- key nursery and vine improvement groups
- the table grape sector
- all state and territory biosecurity regulators
- Biosecurity SA accredited laboratories in SA
- Continues to put notices in Vinehealth Australia’s e-news and industry publications
In addition to the above, Inca Pearce (CEO) and Suzanne McLoughlin (Technical Manager) welcome individuals and businesses wanting to discuss the proposed changes on a one-on-one basis to contact them, phone (08) 8273 0550 or email consultation@vinehealth.com.au.
Once you have considered the new Condition 7 and proposed changes, you can provide feedback via the feedback form in the consultation pack by 30 June 2019.
At the end of the consultation period, Vinehealth Australia will assess feedback received and provide to Biosecurity SA and the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, a set of recommended changes to the phylloxera-related conditions in South Australia’s PQS.