Better border protection

The distance from our neighbours and the sea provide New Zealand with some level of protection against biosecurity incursions.

However, there is still a risk of accidental or deliberate import of pests or diseases which could threaten our primary industries.

That make border security very important and the government’s recognition of this is shown by  the recruitment of 30 new quarantine inspectors and new detector dog pups.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy visited the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Detector Dog Breeding Centre in Auckland and met four beagle puppies that will be trained to guard New Zealand’s airports to stop unwanted pests and diseases entering the country.

“The four puppies have overcome a tragic start to life. Their mum, Utah, was found to have leukaemia soon after the births and had to be put down,” says Mr Guy.

Mr Guy chose the name ‘Clara’ for one of the new puppies.

“I’m looking forward to following Clara’s progress as she helps to guard our border.”

“As well as recruiting canines, the Ministry is about to start recruiting 30 new quarantine inspectors to work on the frontline of our biosecurity system. This is in addition to the 56 extra frontline staff recruited over the last six months,” says Mr Guy.

Of the 30 new staff, six will start work in Christchurch, four in Wellington, two in Queenstown and 18 in Auckland. They will begin in mid-August after extensive training.

“Numbers of frontline staff are directly related to the volume of people and goods crossing the border. As New Zealand’s economy continues to grow the numbers of border staff are also likely to increase.

“The primary industries are the powerhouse of New Zealand’s economy and protecting them from biosecurity threats is my number one priority. We have a world class system, but we are always looking for ways to improve it even further,” says Mr Guy.

Increasing the number of staff and dogs at the border is one of a number of recent biosecurity initiatives including:

• The Joint Border Management System to improve how our border agencies work together.
• Implementing the Biosecurity Law Reform Bill which passed last year, including Government-Industry Agreements to boost our readiness and response.
• Trans-Tasman Action Plan on Foot and Mouth Disease Preparedness with Australia.

 

 

Aust-NZ strengthen FMD defence

A new action plan between Australia and New Zealand will strengthen defences against Foot and Mouth Disease.

Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and New Zealand’s Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, have announced the two countries will work more closely together focusing combined defences against the threat of FMD.

“FMD poses one of the single greatest threats to livestock industries and rural communities in New Zealand and Australia. We’ve estimated that a large outbreak would cost Australia $AUD 16 billion to control,” Minister Ludwig said.

“Australia has successfully kept FMD out of the country for more than 130 years.

“Our countries have committed to work together to develop a trans-Tasman FMD Action Plan to improve preparedness.

“Collaborative government action will help ensure we are both adequately prepared for this disease.”

Minister Guy said both countries were extremely aware of the importance of preparing for the threat, given the importance of the agricultural sector to both economies.
“This work will build on the strong relationship we already have through years of working together on animal health and biosecurity issues,” Minister Guy said.

“It reflects an on-going commitment to improving our knowledge and preparedness.”

Key activities under the joint plan include:

• sharing intelligence on emerging animal health risks facing our region

• developing and improving training activities and FMD detection capabilities, including training in exotic animal disease recognition and participating in joint exercises

• sharing and comparing economic and disease models of FMD to inform management strategies

• collaborating on policy development, approaches and operational plans for vaccination and carcass disposal

• participating in simulation exercises to explore how we could support response efforts in the event of an incursion.

“While both countries will work towards a coordinated Action Plan, the best strategy is to not let FMD ever get into either country in the first place,” Minister Guy said.

“Prevention remains the first priority for both countries through our world class biosecurity systems. New Zealand is fortunate to have never had an outbreak but we must always be prepared.”

Minister Ludwig agreed saying early detection was essential to reduce the potential impact of this disease.

“FMD has been able to establish and spread in a wide range of environmental and production systems around the world so vigilance and preparedness are essential safeguards to protecting Australia and New Zealand’s valuable primary industries, Minister Ludwig said.”

Australia and New Zealand have the strictest border controls I’ve ever struck.

The importance of agriculture and horticulture to both our economies provide a very good reason for that.

As island nations it’s easier for us to keep disease out than it is for countries which border others but there is absolutely no room for complacency.

Combining forces against FMD will strengthen defences in both countries.

Rural round-up

Grain farmers step up to meet stock feed needs:

With the availability of supplementary feed in the North Island becoming tight due to extremely dry conditions, Federated Farmers Grain & Seed is promoting New Zealand feed grains and straw as a major supplementary feed solution.

“North Island dairy farmers in particular are weighing up the economic cost of drying off early,” says Ian Mackenzie, Federated Farmers Grain and Seed chairperson and a dual grains and dairy farmer himself.

“Federated Farmers Grain & Seed believes New Zealand feed grains and straw are solutions, especially out of the South Island.

“These are not only cost competitive to imported feeds but are available in quantity right now. These could help hard pressed dairy farmers in seeing the milking season through to its proper end and could also help out our meat and fibre colleagues too. . .

Happier cows could be one solution to industry’s employment issues:

With more and more dairy farm staff entering the industry from urban backgrounds an animal husbandry expert says there has to be more emphasis placed on stockmanship skills, which start with managers and owners having farm policies that put animal welfare first.

 animal husbandry expert Chris Leach and farm dairying specialist Mel Eden share a passion for interpreting cow behaviour and helping farmers get “inside the cow’s head.” By understanding their animals, they say farmers will improve job satisfaction for farm staff, animal health and the bottom-line.

In March the two experts will present a workshop called ‘Interpreting cow behaviour’ to more than 300 dairying women at the Dairy Women’s Network annual conference in Nelson – most of them farm owners and managers. . .

Bovine TB control achieves less cattle and deer TB testing:

The success of the TBfree New Zealand programme has led to more than 3750 cattle and deer herds having their movement control restrictions, or number of bovine tuberculosis (TB) tests, scaled down.

Animal Health Board (AHB) National TB Manager Kevin Crews said the decrease is due to a strong focus on TB-infected wild animal control, strict movement rules on infected herds and an extensive cattle and deer testing programme.

The AHB is responsible for implementing the TBfree New Zealand programme which is working to eradicate bovine TB in New Zealand. Changes to movement restrictions will affect around 50 herds across Tasman, Marlborough and North Canterbury from 1 March 2013. . .

MPI Applauds Stiff Fine For Border Cheat:

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) applauds the stiff fine handed down to a woman who three years earlier tried to deceive an airport quarantine inspector and illegally bring packets of bird nest into New Zealand.

Chen Shar Wong was arrested at the Auckland International Airport on Wednesday after arriving from Taiwan. She faced two charges under the Biosecurity Act 1993 of knowingly making false and misleading statements to an inspector, and knowingly attempting to possess unauthorised goods under the Crimes Act.

On 28 February 2010, an MPI quarantine inspector seized four packets of bird nest from Mrs Wong at the airport. Mrs Wong had claimed the bird nests were sea weed. . .

Biosecurity Report Welcomed By Beef + Lamb New Zealand:

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) welcomes the release today, by the Office of the Auditor General, of the report into the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) preparedness and response to biosecurity incursions.

Dr Scott Champion, B+LNZ CEO, said the report made a number of observations and recommendations that have previously been identified by a joint-Government and industry report into the current state of readiness for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), published last year.

“These and other learnings from Exercise Taurus (a FMD incursion simulation) are the ongoing focus of a collaborative process between the affected livestock industries and MPI to make the improvements required in this area,” he said. . .

Ballance closes the loop on investments for growth:

Ballance has taken a further step in its growth strategy, moving to full ownership of animal nutrition company Seales Winslow Limited and farm technology company Farmworks Systems Limited. It has held 51% shareholdings in both companies since 2011.

Ballance Chief Executive Larry Bilodeau says full ownership will see the co-operative better placed to support the growth goals of both business units, enabling Ballance to meet increasing demand from customers for the full range farm nutrients and technology which enable them to farm smarter and more productively.

“Farm nutrients and technology are clearly two growing areas of the market and a natural fit with our core business. We know that farmers are looking towards strategic animal nutrition supplementation and farm technology to get the best returns from their businesses and reduce their environmental footprint. . .

Soil and Health Association applauds new organic research report:

New Zealand’s oldest organic organisation, and publishers of Organic NZ , the Soil & Health Association – Organic NZ, is delighted with the growth in the number of organic producers and consumers over the past three years.

“The results in the latest organic market research report show that organics is definitely moving from the fringe into the mainstream,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

Soil &Health – Organic NZ has sponsored a new section in this year’s report,which covers the organic community sector. “Our National Council was delighted to be able to offer their support to such worthy research” said Ms Swanwick. . .

Rural round-up

Minister welcomes biosecurity report:

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has welcomed a report from the Auditor-General into biosecurity incursions, and says it will be carefully considered by the Government.

“My office has received a copy of the full report today and I’m looking forward to working through it with the Ministry for Primary Industries.

“Biosecurity is my top priority as Minister and we will carefully consider any advice and recommendations that could improve our biosecurity system.

“The report notes improvements MPI already has in progress, including updating plans for dealing with specific pests, better surveillance targeting and more regular exercises and simulations. It also notes that overall New Zealand’s biosecurity system has been improved though sharing knowledge and innovative practices.

“We are always looking to review how we do things, and improve our systems. This report is part of that process, and I would encourage people to read the full document. . .

Auditor-General report sets the right direction:

Federated Farmers welcomes the audit by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on the Ministry for Primary Industries biosecurity preparedness and response activities, particularly relating to Food and Mouth (FMD) disease.

“This is an important and timely report given FMD would not only cripple pastoral farming, but it would hit almost every New Zealander in their pocket,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Biosecurity spokesperson.

“We were first contacted by the OAG in 2011 and participated in their initial research.

“The pastoral farming sector itself has been proactive in coming together to deal with weaknesses we identified with FMD response planning. . .

Farmers Need To Know ‘They Are Not Alone’, Says DairyNZ:

Industry body DairyNZ is joining with other agencies and organisations to co-ordinate a range of drought support mechanisms for Northland and other North Island dairy farmers, with a focus on facilitating farmer-to-farmer advice.

A state of drought has been officially declared in Northland today by the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, with other regions likely to follow soon.

DairyNZ’s regional team manager, Craig McBeth, says dry conditions are being experienced throughout the North Island and the industry body has already been sending out weekly newsletters with practical advice to farmers. It is also using its local discussion groups to help farmers find out how others are dealing with the dry conditions. . .

Drafting lambs electronically – Gerald Piddock:

Using electronic identification technology in sheep production is paying off for Ken Fraser.

The Fairlie farmer is into his third year using electronic tagging in his sheep flock.

He demonstrated its benefits at a Beef+Lamb field day at Opuha Downs last week.

The information captured by the tags allows him to calculate the growth rates of lambs according to which paddock they grazed on, the crop they ate and what type of ram they were bred from.

It allowed him to measure his lambs by weight gain rather than simply weight. . .

Broom worry backed – Gerald Piddock:

Environment Canterbury is backing the concerns of a Timaru resident over a jump in broom levels throughout the Mackenzie Country this summer.

Broom levels have increased in the Mackenzie Country and other parts of South Canterbury this summer, largely due to the rain the region had in early summer.

The increase prompted Timaru resident Gary Bleeker to write to the Timaru Herald earlier this week out of concern that landowners should take more responsibility to keep on top of the weed. . .

Water governance in NZ – an introduction – Wailolgy:

“Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”

So goes the saying, often dubiously attributed to Mark Twain, when talking about water politics in the western US. And while New Zealanders are fortunate to have a much wetter climate (and tend to prefer beer or wine), we are no strangers to fights over water.

We see these tensions time and time again in the news. Fishing vs. irrigation in Canterbury. Greens vs. dams in Hawkes Bay. Residents vs. Auckland Council over rates. The Maori Council vs. the Government over ownership. As a nation, we have diverse and, at times, conflicting values when it comes to water.

To help resolve these tensions we turn to some form of governing body or another. Whether it is the central government, a regional or local government, or even small water user groups, they have been given the authority to make trade-offs on behalf of their constituents – to try to balance rival values. (The word ‘rival’ is in fact derived from the same root as ‘rivulet’ – rivals share the same river.) . . .

 

Rural round-up

Call for tighter rules – Gerald Piddock:

Federated Farmers is demanding the rules for importing palm kernel expeller (PKE) be tightened.

This comes after two members of the group’s grain and seed executive observed massive breaches of the New Zealand import health standards for importing 

Federated Farmers is demanding the rules for importing palm kernel expeller (PKE) be tightened.

This comes after two members of the group’s grain and seed executive observed massive breaches of the New Zealand import health standards for importing PKE into New Zealand during a visit to a Malaysian PKE crushing plant.

Mid Canterbury farmer David Clark along with Whakatane farmer Colin MacKinnon visited the country in September last year.

They detailed the breaches along with several recommendations to improve New Zealand’s biosecurity process in a report they submitted to the Ministry for Primary Industries last year.

into New Zealand during a visit to a Malaysian PKE crushing plant.

Mid Canterbury farmer David Clark along with Whakatane farmer Colin MacKinnon visited the country in September last year.

They detailed the breaches along with several recommendations to improve New Zealand’s biosecurity process in a report they submitted to the Ministry for Primary Industries last year. . .

Irrigation scheme on target -Gerald Piddock:

The first of the giant ponds at the Rangitata South Irrigation scheme could be filled by the end of the month, as construction of the project continues.

Workers were one third of the way through lining the surface of the first of the ponds, Rooney Earth Moving general manager Colin Dixon said.

The plastic lining came in large rolls that were unwrapped and the edges were then joined together.

“It’s like a sewing machine, it runs up the seam really slowly and melts them together,” Mr Dixon said.

He estimated it would take four to six weeks to line each pond. The ponds were lined one after the other, rather than all at the same time. As soon as one pond is lined, it can be filled with water. . .

Time to merge ag unis?- Marie Taylor and Rebecca Harper:

Merging agriculture courses offered at Lincoln and Massey universities is one way to make better use of limited resources, Beef + Lamb chairman Mike Petersen says.

It emerged last week that Lincoln was undertaking a major review of its qualifications.

It is the country’s smallest university, with 3500 full-time equivalent students, and has faced a series of financial losses in the past few years. It had a $5 million loss last year and a $5m loss is budgeted for this year.

Lincoln wants to reduce the number of undergraduate degrees it offers from 13 to three land-based three-year degrees, with a common first year. . .

The carbon-neutral dairy farm, is it possible? – Milking the Moove:

What does a dairy farmer have to do to become carbon neutral?

There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth at the prospect of agriculture being included into New Zealand’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). 

So I thought to my self, what would a dairy farmer need to do to become carbon neutral?

But first, why would a farmer what to be carbon neutral?

Some may say because it’s the right thing to do for the environment.

Others will want to eliminate any tax paid on the carbon they emit. 

Other people will say that, being carbon neutral gives that farmer a wonderful point of difference in which to differentiate their products.

In order to avoid getting into a debate about whether climate change is real or not, I’m going to approach this from the marketing angle. . . .

Sector pins hopes on golden fleece – Tim Cronshaw:

A golden yarn developed by Kiwi scientists and containing pure gold is expected to be sold to wealthy buyers of luxury carpets, rugs and furnishings.

Unlike the golden fleece in Greek mythology the yarn and completed woollen products will not have a golden colour at this stage.

The Aulana-branded wool has been developed by Professor Jim Johnston and Dr Kerstin Lucas of Victoria University after $3 million of research and development.

A tiny amount of pure gold is combined with wool and the chemistry between the two causes it to bond and produce the colours of purple, grey and blue.

The range is expected to be extended and include a golden hue later. . .

Shearers busy as farmers heed market – Tim Cronshaw:

Canterbury shearers have gone into overdrive after an unexpected surge in sheep needing to be shorn.

The December to early February stint is usually quiet for shearing, but an influx of lambs and cull ewes needing their fleece removed put the pressure on shearers during the hot spell, when temperatures soared above 30 degrees in shearing sheds.

Farmers appear to have moved quickly in line with lower lamb prices and this acted as a catalyst for more shearing.

January was expected to be a slow month for shearing, but only in the last week has the pace slowed, said Barry Pullin,  an owner of Pullin Shearing, and chairman for the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association. . . .

Ostriches not meant to fly into NZ

Biosecurity officials have reported the bizarre discovery of two massive ostrich eggs in the luggage of a passenger at Auckland airport.

The two whole eggs with yolk each weighed around 1.5 kilograms. They were found loosely wrapped in newspaper.

The passenger was fined $400 and will face increased scrutiny by biosecurity officials if they make further flights to New Zealand, says team manager Steve Gay.

He says the eggs posed a high biosecurity risk to New Zealand. “There was the chance they could be carrying avian diseases. And we can’t write off the idea that the eggs were going to be used for breeding.”

“It beggars belief that the passenger could possibly forget to declare something so obvious in size and so risky for our primary sector and environment.

“Air passengers pass more than 30 signs asking them to declare or dispose risk items before they even speak to a quarantine inspector.”

Accidents do happen, even with farmers who ought to understand the necessity for strict border controls on plant and animal products.

A friend forgot about an apple in her bag when she returned from Europe, another didn’t know his young daughter had a piece of fruit in her backpack.

But neither I forgot nor I didn’t know would be a believable explanation for bringing in a couple of ostrich eggs weighing about three kilos in total.

Ostrich farming was popular a few years ago.

I’m not sure if any farms are still operating but whether or not they are, strict quarantine controls will apply to both eggs and birds.

Ostriches don’t fly anywhere and their eggs are definitely not supposed  to fly into New Zealand unannounced.

Do we still need to feed the world?

New Zealand is regarded as a leader in farming but we’re at risk of being left well behind if we don’t adopt 21st century biotechnology.

Crop-enhancing biotechnology is the world’s best hope of feeding a population expected to double by 2050, but scientists at an international conference in Rorotua this week warned NZ is in danger of missing the bus as resistance to genetic modification blocks development. AgResearch scientist Tony Conner said the amount of land planted with GM crops worldwide last year was 6 times the size of NZ. “If we continue to not adopt this technology, we run a huge risk of being left behind..In another decade we could be dealing with yesterday’s crops.”

No GM crops are grown in NZ, despite the vast potential for improved output from homegrown GM pastures, alongside exported products such as tomatoes, capsicum and squash. The loss in not embracing GM has been put at $1.5bn.

The reason we’re not embracing GM is that opposition based on emotion rather than science is dominating the discussion.

Caution with anything new is sensible but the blanket ban on genetic modification is blinkered.

Green MP Steffan Browning who helped lead a protest against the conference contends NZ should rely on organic and traditional means of producing food. “Rather than going for volume we need to be going for best value and not compromise our brand.” A research study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine could find little evidence food produced organically, without artificial fertilisers or other chemicals, is healthier or the vitamin content was any different.

Genetic modification might help farmers reduce the need for artificial fertilisers and pesticides, it would definitely enable us to produce more.

Food security is one of the biggest issues facing the world.

Although we export most of the food we produce, it’s not a lot on a global scale. Genetic modification could enable us to produce more food with better nutritional value.

If we could do more to feed the world, should we, or is it acceptable to keep the blinkers on, worry only about our little corner and let someone else concern themselves with feeding the hungry?

Labs join border patrol

Photo of the day:

 

Biosecurity Minister David Carter with one of the labs which has joined the biosecurity front line:

Primary Industries Minister David Carter was on hand today for the graduation of the first labradors to become biosecurity detector dogs.

Four of the five dogs are from a new Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) breeding programme, while the fifth dog joined the detector dog training programme from the Auckland pound.

“These dogs will play an important role in protecting New Zealand’s border. We have already seen the success of using beagles to detect biosecurity risk items at our airports,” says Mr Carter.

“Labradors have the advantage of being able to work in both passenger and mail pathways. However, I can reassure the public that MPI will continue to breed beagles.”

Mr Carter says MPI expects to have 11 new dogs graduate from its national training centre this year, eight of which will be matched with new handlers being recruited.

“The extra dogs will give MPI the ability to cover the majority of flights arriving at our main airports and to cover smaller airports when needed.

“Detector dogs and their handlers are an important part of our biosecurity frontline. The dogs’ visual presence at the airport is a big factor, they are great at detecting seeds and plants that x-rays may miss and they screen people faster than x-ray,” says Mr Carter. 

 

 

MAF shortcomings, MPI responds

The independent report into the Psa incursion which has had such a devastating affect on kiwifruit orchards has  found shortcomings in systems and processes of what was then the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

It is up to what is now the Ministry of Primary Industry to respond swiftly and Director-General Wayne McNee has:

“The review has found shortcomings in the way MPI’s (then MAF) systems and processes were applied to the importation of kiwifruit, kiwifruit pollen, kiwifruit nursery stock, kiwifruit seeds and horticultural equipment, prior to the Psa outbreak.

“While the review also says that it does not automatically follow that these shortcomings contributed to the entry of Psa-V into New Zealand, improvements are needed, and MPI is moving immediately to implement those improvements,” Mr McNee said.

“The Ministry will implement all six recommendations from the review and will report to the Minister for Primary Industries in three months time on progress.”

Mr McNee said the review had found that although the biosecurity risks associated with the importing of goods could never be entirely mitigated, protections could be improved by MPI, industry and Crown Research Institutes working more closely to understand emerging risks.

Federated Farmers calls the report a robust but positive wake-up call.

Federated Farmers is convinced the independent and robust Sapere Research Group review into the entry of Psa will lead to significant improvements at the border.

“The old MAF was so confident in its import health standard for pollen, it said there was no peer-reviewed scientific evidence pollen was a pathway for bacteria,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President and spokesperson on biosecurity

“That contrasts strongly with the independent Sapere Research Group review of how Psa entered New Zealand. This review provides policy makers with a model for independently conducted post-border incursion investigations.

“The Sapere review cuts to the chase.  We can give credit to the new Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for opening itself up to soul searching analysis.  That said, it comes against a $410 million backdrop; the projected cost of this biosecurity failure.

“Even in tough economic times, Federated Farmers believes there should be more resources for biosecurity than just reprioritising current ones.

“We need biosecurity to be robust because it is our first and last line of environmental and economic defence.  Any homeowner knows scrimping on insurance is a false economy when you need to claim against it.  Incursions like Psa not only cost export revenue but jobs too.

“Biosecurity is a tangible feature driving our overall reputation as an exporter and as a destination.  Tourism is a risk vector, but benefits from high levels of biosecurity being maintained. We suggest passenger and cargo levies could be used to build a response fund.

“While the report doesn’t mention it, we also need robust systems to identify emerging disease threats and developments.

“Government Industry Agreements are an opportunity for the MPI to integrate information and improve communication with industry.  Yet the primary industries shouldn’t just leave biosecurity to government as ‘its job’.  We are pleased this report confirms recent moves by the MPI to give farmers a greater say on border protection.

“One practical example of what Federated Farmers wants to see reinstated is the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Consultative Committees.  Disbanded under the old MAF, they provided a valuable exchange of information between industry and the Ministry.

“We believe the MPI now has a golden opportunity to integrate them within Government Industry Agreement frameworks,” Dr Rolleston concluded.

The Psa, incursion has been to the kiwifruit industry what foot and mouth disease could be for livestock farming.

Whole orchards have been infected, businesses – and retirement plans - destroyed and millions of dollars lost from the local and national economy.

The response to the incursion was swift but that is no comfort for those whose vines were infected.

It might not have been shortcomings in MAF procedures which allowed the importation of the infection but MPI isn’t making excuses and is implementing all six recommendations in the report.

Every traveller and import could potentially carry something that poses a risk to our plants and livestock. It is impossible to have 100% protection against that but the adoption by MPI  of the recommendations should ensure an improvement in bio-security at our borders.

MPI’s response and action plan is here.

Whatever it takes

Federated Farmers is urging the Ministry of Primary Industries to do whatever it takes to eliminate the threat of Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni).

Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President and biosecurity spokesperson said:

“If action is needed we need to be quick and decisive about it.  This is truly a serious threat to horticulture and we’ve simply got too much to lose.

“Once we get on top of this incursion, there needs to a closer look at passenger entry at the border.  The risk is less from cargo and more from the millions who enter New Zealand each year. . . “

New Zealand and Australia have the strictest biosecurity controls I’ve encountered but no system is foolproof.

I’m always very careful about what I take from one country to another but once inadvertently brought an insect home from Argentina.

I’d wrapped wine bottles in bubble wrap on the floor before we left and when unwrapping them saw an insect crawl out. My daughter cut it in half with scissors and then I burned it.

No harm was done on this occasion but it has made me even more vigilant when I travel.

Not everyone takes biosecurity concerns  seriously, many don’t realise the danger posed by incursions. However, no matter how alert travellers are and how strict the screening is, the risk of breeches are ever present.

 

PSA could have come in pollen

MAF has commissioned an independent review of its  its importing rules as part of ongoing work into how the kiwifruit vine disease Psa entered New Zealand.

Director General Wayne McNee says the review is a sensible step to ensure that MAF’s systems are as good as they can be and will be welcomed by the kiwifruit industry which had requested such an inquiry.

The review follows a series of investigations that MAF has undertaken since the outbreak of Psa in Bay of Plenty orchards.

He says in order to help the kiwifruit industry manage the disease’s spread, MAF has looked into a number of possible ways the bacterium could have entered New Zealand and has produced a report summarising the results of those investigations.

“The report does not identify a definite means of introduction, but does find there are a number of potential pathways, including people, equipment, and pollen.

It wasn’t known that pollen could carry Psa when rules were changed in 2007 to allow it to be imported.

MAF’s importing rules at the time of the Psa outbreak permitted imports of overseas kiwifruit pollen by the kiwifruit industry and others under strict conditions.

Any imported pollen had to have been sourced from unopened flowers to avoid any issues of bacterial contamination. At the time of granting pollen import permits, there was no internationally published science that indicated pollen was able to spread Psa.

“Given the new information that has emerged on the potential for pollen to spread the disease, I want to review our processes for assessing risk, and incorporating changing science. We still cannot categorically say that Psa in pollen can infect healthy vines – there’s more work to be done to prove that – so we still cannot definitively say that pollen was the way that Psa entered New Zealand,” Mr McNee says.

Imports of pollen were suspended at the time of the Psa outbreak.

The impact of PSA on the kiwifruit industry is as devastating as foot and mouth disease would be to livestock farming.

It is a reminder of how vulnerable agriculture and horticulture are and the importance of tough biosecurity rules.

Working out how Psa got here won’t help those affected but it could help prevent other incursions of pests and diseases.

Feds urge NZers to be biosecurity 1st XV

Federated farmers is urging us all to be the biosecurity 1st XV:

“We welcome Rugby World Cup visitors to see, taste and wear some of the best food and fibre in the world,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President and the Federation’s Biosecurity spokesperson.

“New Zealand is unique in that we are relatively free of major pests and diseases affecting agriculture in other parts of the world. While we all wish to see visitors enter our country quickly to enjoy our great Kiwi hospitality, biosecurity is one thing that must not be compromised.

“The office of the Minister of Biosecurity has assured Federated Farmers that biosecurity standards are not being relaxed due to the world cup. The Rugby World Cup will be a great boon for the economy but it would be a tragedy, if any gain was wiped out by a major incursion.

“That’s a message the Government fully understands, but we also need New Zealand’s public and businesses in the biosecurity team.

“Many visitors will be staying with friends, family or in paid-for accommodation. We really need the public, from hotel cleaners to friends and family to play the role of fullback. Each country has a list of its worst pests and diseases; they are the players we don’t want in New Zealand for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Many visitors, and far too many New Zealanders, don’t understand the importance of our rigorous biosecurity regulations and checks.

People used to travelling between countries where the border is nothing more than a line on a map aren’t used to the requirements to clean shoes and leave behind food, plants and other material which might harbour unwelcome visitors.

Our island status offers good protection from incursions by pests and diseases which could threaten export industries but unwitting visitors pose a threat which makes Feds’ warning, and tortured rugby analogy, very timely.

The message has added resonance as it coincides with the news a Fielding man has been prosecuted for keeping a snake.

Nathan Bush, 38, pleaded guilty to acquiring a snake in the Palmerston North District Court. He was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

In sentencing Bush, Judge Callander stressed that New Zealand has a snake-free environment and it is important to keep snakes out.

He intended the sentence to denounce Bush’s behaviour and also act as a deterrent.

The attraction of snakes escapes me and I can’t fathom why anyone would want to have one as a pet when it’s illegal.

PKE brings biosecutiry risk

Federated Farmers has been questioning the biosecurity risk from imports of Palm Kernel Extract  for some time and Rural News reports that risk has now been officially recognised.

Foot and mouth disease could reach New Zealand in palm kernel but steps are finally being taken to close down the pathway, says Federated Farmers.

Biosecurity spokesman John Hartnell says he understands Biosecurity NZ is working with its Australian counterpart to tackle what it now admits is a gap in the current import health standard.

‘There is a big hole in the process and that’s the time the product sits on the ground between when it leaves the crusher and when it is loaded on the boat.

Greenpeace has been campaigning against PKE imports on environmental grounds. The biosecuirty risk is far more serious.

The current import health standard relies on heating during oil extraction, rendering the meal sterile, but meal is often stored before shipment, sometimes on bare earth.

That provides a window for insect infestation and, worse still, contamination with potential foot and mouth disease bearing material such as soil or animal remains, says Hartnell.

That risk might be small but it is not something we can afford to ignore.

The detection of atypical scrapie (also known as Nor 98) in a single sheep’s brain last week almost went unnoticed. MAF was upfront about it, explained how it was detected and the implications of the find, including most importantly that it doesn’t change our scrapie-free status.

Even a false alarm about Foot & Mouth disease would be far more serious. The hoax letter sent in 2005 which said the disease was on Waiheke Island, caused a dip in the dollar and threatened exports.

No matter how cheap PKE is, unless it can be guaranteed foot and mouth free it is too expensive.

PKE fungi story short on facts long on hysteria

Disclosing a preliminary draft report on the danger of fungi in palm kernel extract (PKE)  as Sue Kedgley did in parliament was reckless and irresponsible, Federated Farmers says.

“Releasing a preliminary draft report, which has never been finalised, peer reviewed or subjected to robust scientific methodology is irresponsible,” says Lachlan McKenzie, Federated Farmers Dairy chairperson.

“Palm Kernel Expeller is a dry feed and like any dry matter, if it gets wet, it will attract fungi.  That’s the same with maize, silage, bread or even sportswear. 

“AgResearch put together a draft report on the ‘shocking expose’ that Palm Kernel Expeller, when wet, attracts fungi. . . 

“The Ministry of Agriculture reviewed the report in 2006 and found that of the fungi identified, the vast majority were already present in New Zealand and the few remaining were common in almost every country on earth.

“The New Zealand Food Safety Authority looked at the general issue of fungal growth on animal feed and concluded there was no risk to food safety.”

He said he’s concerned that the Green Party grabs every opportunity, no matter how tenuous, to knock New Zealand’s largest and most important industry.

“Most people don’t believe the recycling of a waste by-product like Palm Kernel Expeller into animal feed is a bad thing, so long as it comes from certified sources.  Especially if that waste would otherwise be burnt or just left to rot.

“Most New Zealanders also believe it’s hypocritical to target farmers, when they themselves use palm oil daily in the household goods they consume or the cosmetics they wear.

“I’d be highly surprised if products containing palm oil were not present in the homes of the Green Party MPs.  That said, this serves as a timely reminder to ensure dry feed is stored appropriately,” Mr McKenzie concluded.

Feds biosecurity spokesman John Hartnell responded earlier to criticism on the use of PKE as cow feed by Greenpeace saying PKE was a waste by-product left over from the processing of palm oil for consumer products.

“Palm kernel has so little commercial value that if it isn’t recycled into supplementary feed, it is burnt.  That doesn’t sound too great for either climate change or the environment. . .

“Palm plantations aren’t created just to generate a waste by-product, just as newspapers don’t exist solely to support recycling. . .

He said there was a genuine problem with PKE which Feds had been concerned about.

“”Yet for a long period of time, Federated Farmers has been questioning the biosecurity risks posed by what seems to be a great amount of uncertified palm kernel entering New Zealand.  There’s a huge biosecurity hole posed by the stuff.”

That risk is not the risk of fungi mentioned in the preliminary draft report.

Biosecurity threat or just non-tariff barrier?

MAF’ Biosecurity’s  provisional import health standards  for pig meat and by-products is a swine of a decision according to Federated Farmers.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is setting a disturbing precedent by lowering the bar for imported pork.  It is simply unacceptable on biosecurity grounds,” says John Hartnell, Federated Farmers biosecurity spokesperson. 

“The unintentional risk of the HIV-like Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS virus) entering New Zealand is too high and the Federation backs New Zealand Pork on this issue.

“New Zealand and Australia are the only two countries on earth free of PRRS.  It’s no wonder the pork industry doesn’t want it here, given piglet mortality can peak at 70 percent during the acute phase.

“The New Zealand pig herd could become infected with PRRS if infected imported raw pork was fed to an unregistered pig.  This could easily occur on a lifestyle block or in the suburbs. 

MAF says  the risk of PRRS in consumer-ready products can be managed by the import health standards they’re proposing so is the farmers’ opposition based on facts or fear of competition?

New Zealand apple growers have long complained that Australia’s opposition to our fruit because of the risk of fireblight is really a non-tariff barrier barrier masquerading as a biosecurity threat. Opposition to the new standards for pig meat imports could be regarded as a similar ploy.

We have to be very careful that any opposition we have to the import of goods from other countries is based on science and not just an attempt to reduce competition because the sauce we try to apply to other people’s pork could just as easily be applied to our produce elsewhere.

Bioterrorism very real threat

The vulnerability of agricultural assets between farm and fork  is concerning Terry Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Animal Nutrition and head of Dairy & Animal Science at Pennsylvania University.

Agriculture in the U.S. is remarkably robust from a standpoint of productivity and efficiency in the food distribution chain but dangerously fragile because of countless vulnerabilities that could be exploited. There are few events that would cause more economic damage than a widespread attack on the agriculture infrastructure in the U.S .

He looks at threats from nature, foreign animal diseases and asymetric biolgical attacks and gives a close to home example in the latter category:

A recent example of an asymmetric attack occurred in New Zealand where a small group of farmers intentionally introduced a virulent rabbit pathogen (rabbit calicivirus disease) as a strategy to control the population of wild rabbits. This introduction was so effective that the disease is epizootic in New Zealand and threatens to spread beyond Oceana. The significance of this event is that a group of motivated individuals without much scientific training managed to research, acquire a source of the pathogen, and penetrate one of the best biosecurity systems in the world to unleash a hemorrhagic disease virus on the rabbit population in New Zealand.

While I appreciated the frustration farmers felt at inaction on the rabbit plague, the illegal introduction of RCD set a dangerous precedent and also showed that in spite of tough bio security controls, we are vulnerable to accidental or deliberate attacks.

Etherton concludes:

It is not easy to answer the questions of how bad an agricultural bioterrorist event would be in the U.S. However, the preponderance of evidence is that it would be potentially devastating to agribusiness and likely challenging to national security. A huge challenge will be to find ways to reduce the likelihood of an attack and the subsequent impact on society.

If the impact of agricultural bioterroism poses that much of a threat to the USA, the danger is even greater in New Zealand where a much greater proportion of our economy is dependent on agriculture.

HAT TIP: Farming Show

Open border mustn’t risk bio security?

The idea of reclassifying Trans-Tasman flights as domestic rather than international  is a good one - with the proviso that bio-security controls are maintained.

New Zealand and Australia have the strictest bio-security border controls I’ve encountered for very good reasons. Both are bordered by sea which makes it more difficult for accidental incursions by unwanted species or infections; and primary production is very important to both economies.

The ability to travel more easily across the Tasman has many advantages but it mustn’t come with any risk to our plants and animals. 

There are still some things in each country which the other doesn’t want and if our Trans-Tasman travel is freed from passport controls both countries will need to ensure that bio-security controls aren’t relaxed too.

Varroa outbreak in Nth Canterbury

An infestation of varroa bee mite has been confrimed in North Canterbury.

Varroa has been found in Nelson/Marlborough before but this is the first instance of it being confirmed in Canterbury.

Tomato & Capsicum Exports Suspended

Exports of tomatoes and capsicums  have been suspended after the discovery of a debilitating bacterium in three North Island hot houses.

 

MAF Biosecurity has withdrawn phytosanitary certification for fresh tomato and capsicum exports until further notice and says it’s a significant find which could impact on export markets.

 

Total exports of tomatoes are valued at $7.3 million, while capsicums are worth $34m. Australia is the largest importer of the products, while Japan, the Pacific Islands, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong are other capsicum markets. Those countries have been informed about the outbreak.

MAF director of border standards Tim Knox said the withdrawal of certification was a precautionary measure until more information about the bacterium was known.

“Initial findings suggest that the bacterium may be transmitted by a small insect called the tomato/potato psyllid.”

He said there were no considered human health issues associated with the bacterium or with eating tomatoes or capsicum.  At this time of year exports of tomatoes and capsicum are negligible – they usually begin on a large scale in October. The bacterium affects both the growth and quality of plants and reduces yield.

 Border incursions by pests and diseases pose an enormous risk to our economy but a lot of people don’t understand that and some who ought to, don’t care.

When I was coming home from Australia the airport x-ray picked up a jar.  I told the MAF officer it was only hand cream but he said sorry, he had to check it. I said there was no need to apologise because I was from a farm and understood the importance of border security; he replied that meant nothing. The previous day he’d caught two farmers returning with muddy boots and they abused him when they were fined.

 

Not all infringements are deliberate. An Australian friend flew in to New Zealand with a pair of boots for his daughter who was working here. He forgot about them when he was filling in the MAF declaration form but they showed up on the x-ray and the MAF officer pulled them out for inspection. Rod had scrubbed the boots before he’d packed them and the MAF man said because of that he wouldn’t be fined but he did get a written warning that next time there’d be no leniency.

 

These examples ought to give us confidence in our border protection, but it isn’t always this strict. A couple of years ago a friend from the USA who had been on farms in Argentina came to New Zealand with work boots in his case. He too forgot to declare them and they weren’t picked up by MAF screening.

 

Unless everything in every bag is checked, there will always be an element of luck in whether or not something untoward comes in with a traveller, even if they pack carefully. We brought some wine home from Argentina and an insect crawled out of the bubble wrap as I was unpacking it. I cut it in half and burned it so no harm was done but it made me realise how easily something could come in by accident.

 

However, more worrying than missing something by chance is the experience of a friend who returned to New Zealand after shearing in Britain during the foot and mouth outbreak. He explained this when he showed his hand piece to the MAF inspectors but they weren’t at all concerned and the shearer had to persuade them to take his gear for cleaning.

 

Our borders have already been breeched by didymo, varroa bee mite and now this insect which is attacking the tomatoes and capsicums so fears that it’s a matter of when, rather than if, we face an incursion which infects farm animals are realistic.