If you are thinking about purchasing secondhand machinery in time for vintage, or deciding which contractor to use to harvest your grapes, or reviewing logistics for machinery movement within your own company, make sure you understand and comply with your biosecurity obligations.
Each state has a Plant Quarantine Standard or equivalent, under the control of the state biosecurity department, where movement requirements are documented for items such as machinery and equipment that are deemed vectors for regulated pests such as grape phylloxera. These movement requirements may be stated as prohibitions in some circumstances or allowable movements, depending on factors including the origin and type of the machinery or equipment.
Thorough cleaning is always a key entry requirement, to ensure no soil and plant material remains. Sometimes, a disinfestation treatment is also required to have been completed prior to entry and different forms of disinfestation may be prescribed as options for different types of machinery or equipment.
Each regulated piece of machinery or equipment granted provisional entry is required to be accompanied by specific documentation. This documentation serves as proof of origin and where relevant, proof of the disinfestation treatment undertaken as part of the entry requirement.
Some states also require importers to register their intentions to import, to have their imported commodities inspected on arrival and to send a manifest of the consignment.
To determine the requirements for importing specific items of machinery and equipment into your state and phylloxera management zone, contact your state biosecurity department. Refer here for each state’s Plant Quarantine Standard or equivalent.