The recent Global Biosecurity 2010 Conference was a highly anticipated event bringing together Australian and overseas experts from a wide range of disciplines. As well as showcasing an extraordinary variety of research and other biosecurity activities it enabled those with research, policy, regulation and biosecurity services roles to connect and learn from one another.
PHA made an early decision to support the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity (CRCNPB), CRC for Invasive Animals and the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Diseases in organising the Conference, and to use the opportunity to profile activities and achievements of the Company. Now with the dust settling, it can be seen that PHA's involvement as organisers, presenters and delegates contributed to the success of the event and that the benefits of the Conference will be seen in PHA's project work and felt by Members for some time to come (see the list of presentations and abstracts at the end of this article).
The Beale Review, which was publicly released in 2009, highlighted deficiencies in Australia's biosecurity system and the need to address these through new approaches and strengthened partnerships. With moves underway to implement recommendations from the Review, it was timely that PHA provide insights into current plant health arrangements and the role it has been established to play in enhancing national coordination and building the structures and conditions for closer government and industry cooperation.
As well as contributing to others' understanding, participation in the Conference informed Directors and staff of current trends and directions for research and policy development in the plant health system. This was particularly relevant given the important work PHA is leading on developing Australia's first National Plant Health Strategy and National Fruit Fly Strategy and the ongoing National Plant Health Status Report.
The Conference provided the perfect backdrop to launch the second edition of the National Plant Health Status Report 08/09. Last year's inaugural edition was a huge success judging by all the positive feedback and news that emerged about how Members were using the Status Report, including to inform policy and support trade negotiations. The new Status Report generated much interest from Australian and overseas delegates who visited the PHA display stand. Most saw it as a good way to gain a holistic understanding of Australia's plant health system. Nearly 200 copies were handed out at the Conference, with many requests made for more. With a Member mail out about to occur, if you are interested in receiving a hard copy, please email James Garden. Copies of the Status report may also be downloaded from the PHA website.
PHA's collaborative approach was evident in the display hall, where a stand was operated in partnership with Animal Health Australia. A feature of the stand was the jointly run Farm Biosecurity Communications Project that delivers information, education and tools to support producers improve biosecurity practices on their farms (see www.farmbiosecurity.com.au). Props such as the footbath and protective clothing also reinforced the importance of good farm hygiene to managing pest and disease threats.
During the breaks, the PHA booth in the exhibition hall was a hive of activity with delegates from Australia and overseas dropping in to find out more about PHA, our partnership model and our programs. A fact sheet on PHA was distributed to all delegates at the event.
Particular interest was shown in our on-farm biosecurity manuals, as examples of what can be done to assist growers and grower organisations to promote better biosecurity practice. The limited number of manuals that we had available at the booth were in demand among delegates, and PHA staff had numerous discussions about how the manuals were developed and could be used on farm. This provided the opportunity to promote PHA's programs and receive feedback about possible improvements in the future.
PHA's presence, however, didn't end there. As part of the main Conference, PHA personnel delivered five separate presentations spanning a number of streams and were involved in chairing several sessions. Copies of each of these presentations can be found on the website:
As well as these, PHA had two poster presentations at the Conference, featuring the Plant Health Experience Register (PHER) and the Farm Biosecurity Communication Project. Encouragingly, the profile given to the PHER led to the registering of a number of new specialists on the database and the updating of details for a number of existing registrants. The Farm Biosecurity poster also received promising attention and secured for PHA the Best Poster award in the open category.
Positive relationships are one of the cornerstones of PHA's partnership approach. As many of PHA's partners were in attendance at the Conference, PHA personnel were able to strengthen old relationships and establish new ones. Furthermore, a number of experts were identified who expressed interest in getting involved in the industry biosecurity planning and farm biosecurity planning processes.
Further benefits to having most of the key biosecurity stakeholders in the one location included opportunities to meet or attend workshops and progress consultation on specific projects. Apart from the informal networking, formal meetings were organised with personnel from the Queensland Government, Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL), the Nursery and Garden Industry Association and Queensland University of Technology. Dr Sophie Peterson conducted training on the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed as part of a CRCNPB Graduate Workshop, to raise awareness of incursion management arrangements and outline some of the roles that might be expected to be played by the next generation of plant health experts. The Biosecurity Planning and Implementation team also used the opportunity to have a face-to-face planning session with the PHA Grains Biosecurity Officers from each state.
It was commented that the recognition that PHA received in other presentations at the Conference demonstrated the high regard in which PHA is held by those who know us and work with us. This was reassuring and a sign that PHA's efforts to involve all stakeholders in the national plant health system are having impact.
In concluding, PHA would like to congratulate the CRCNPB, the CRC for Invasive Animals and the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Diseases, for hosting such a wonderful event.
PHA would also like to thank the CRCNPB for its support in covering travel and registration costs for a number of PHA staff. This support ensured that many PHA staff could attend the event that would not have been able to otherwise.