Policy & Issues

Biosecurity

Reducing the risk of new pests impacting vineyards is seen as a critical component of protecting our vineyard assets and ensuring ongoing supply of wine to our markets. While biosecurity is a shared responsibility of government, industry, and the community, all producers operating within the vine, grape and wine sector (including germplasm holders, grapevine propagators and winegrape producers) have primary responsibility for minimising the risk of serious pests moving in or out of their properties.

It is critical that producers, regions and states are suitably prepared to respond to a range of biosecurity incidents that they may face through preparedness, planning activities, on-farm surveillance programs and appropriate levels of risk management. 

Australian Grape & Wine commits to planning and improving industry capacity to respond in the event of an incursion and to raising awareness of surveillance and risk mitigation processes that can be practically implemented by vine, grape and wine producers. Australian Grape & Wine will provide input and oversight into the implementation of grapevine health policy, protocols, practices and investment in the biosecurity system. In response to an environment of increasing biosecurity risk, Australian Grape & Wine will promote:

  • Investment by all producers operating within the sector and Government in biosecurity preparedness, awareness raising and improving capability and capacity to respond effectively to an incursion.
  • Strategic prioritisation of funds that considers return on investment in terms of risk reduction value.
  • Effective regulatory safeguards at both national and state borders.
  • Incorporation of a whole of supply chain approach that considers both the benefits of biosecurity to the entire sector as well as the regulatory burden of biosecurity compliance measures.
  • Maintaining a formal partnership with industries and Government to minimise pest impacts in Australia as signatory to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) and as members of Plant Health Australia.
  • Fair and equitable cost sharing arrangements between by State and Territory Governments, the Australian Government and industry groups.
  • Commitment to the responsibilities outlined in the EPPRD.
  • Prioritised biosecurity research, development and extension for the benefit of the vine, grape and wine sectors.
  • Enhancing surveillance and diagnostics for exotic and significant endemics and developing capacity to demonstrate area freedom status.
  • Evaluating and promoting the use of latest technology.
  • Production of high health propagation material as a foundation for healthy and productive vineyards.
  • Cross-sectoral collaboration with other stakeholders, plant industries and environmental organisations.
  • Acknowledging that managing biosecurity risks to the broader environment is a key component of a licence to operate as a sector.
  • Improving adoption of sound biosecurity practices by the propagation sector, vineyard owners/operators and cellar doors and integration of biosecurity into risk management, business continuity plans and crisis management plans.
  • Access to necessary pest control measures to facilitate rapid and effective response to an emergency plant pest incursion.
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