Thinking of running an interstate pruning competition? Or servicing your pruning shears across the border? Keep best practice biosecurity front of mind!
According to our National Phylloxera Management Protocol and reflected in South Australia’s Plant Quarantine Standards, small hand tools are required to be cleaned to remove soil and plant material and accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate before entry into SA.
Ensure you comply with this requirement to prevent the spread of pests and diseases via your pruning equipment.
Here are some scenarios that require planning:
- If you are hosting a pruning competition, it is your responsibility to both communicate requirements to competitors and to verify that all hand tools brought into the state meet these requirements.
- If you are servicing pruning gear from grapegrowers, ensure you act responsibly by being aware of the movement requirements and are enforcing them.
- If you are sending your pruning gear to be serviced in another state, either directly or through a third party, make sure you are aware of the movement requirements, especially if sending to a state such as Victoria which contains multiple phylloxera management zones. To get the equipment back into SA post-servicing in a Phylloxera Risk Zone or Phylloxera Infested Zone in Victoria, you will need a Plant Health Certificate to prove your equipment has been cleaned of soil and plant material and has undergone appropriate disinfestation. Refer to the phylloxera zones map to determine which phylloxera management zone your service provider is located: https://vinehealth.com.au/media/phylloxera_zones_map_13042016.pdf
It is also best practice to clean your pruning equipment in 2% sodium hypochlorite for 60 seconds between vineyard blocks to prevent the spread of Eutypa and other trunk diseases as well as phylloxera. For more information on the footwear and small hand tool disinfestation protocol, refer to: https://vinehealth.com.au/media/Vinehealth-Footwear-and-Small-Hand-Tools-Disinfestation-Protocol-White-A3.pdf
For more information on the requirements for moving equipment used in vineyards, refer to: https://vinehealth.com.au/biosecurity-in-practice/tools/winegrape-biosecurity-quarantine-legislation-tool/