“Wrap everything up in privacy and we can’t, as industry and farmers, help you,” Mid Canterbury arable chairwoman Joanne Burke told MPI’s facilities and plant production manager Shane Olsen.
Burke said a key part of the challenge for industry and farmers is in the changes in what people are trying to bring in.
“Pre-input risk analysis is too slow.
“We need to move faster and be looking ahead. It’s not just about now but making sure we protect ourselves for what might be next.”
In opening his address to the conference in Timaru on Wednesday Olsen said exotic pests and diseases are the biggest threat to the future of New Zealand’s economy.
“It’s our challenge together,” Olsen said.
NZ’s top arable export destinations by value are Australia, America, Europe, Britain, Japan and parts of Asia.
Olsen highlighted future challenges as increasing trade and travel and more established pests.
“A new plant species is established in the wild in NZ every 39 days.”
Climate change also alters the risk posed to NZ through pest diseases and risks coming from trading partners.
MPI is managing biosecurity risk for 35 million mail items, 6m travellers and 700,000 containers while issuing 200,000 export certificates and doing 58,600 lab diagnostic tests a year.
MPI also manages risks associated with imports, focusing on protecting NZ while facilitating trade.
Wheat heavily dominates grain imports with 95% of imported wheat coming from Australia.
While there had been a big jump in maize imports, barley and sorghum remained at low levels while palm kernel continues to fluctuate year-on-year.
“Managing risk under Import Health Standards requires continuous improvement for management of significant risks, including offshore risk management,” Olsen said.
He acknowledged seed imports for sowing had thrown up several challenging situations, requiring some significant changes.
As a result MPI has upgraded its pre-border and border inspection and treatment requirements for imported pelleted seed – the path for NZ’s velvet leaf incursion.
Requirements for imported pea seed lots, the path for pea weevil that put a moratorium on growing peas in Wairarapa now into its third year, has also been upgraded.
Seed IHS now requires mandatory treatment for pea seed imports.
But what about being ahead of the game instead of always being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, farmers asked.
Olsen said there are increased expectations from trading partners with biosecurity a greater priority in emerging markets.
“Asian countries are sticklers for detail, the European Union is introducing new legislation.
“To stay ahead of competitors we must have efficient and consistently compliant systems with all parties playing their part and taking ownership.”
NZ can protect primary production from biological risk by setting sound standards with regular auditing and ensuring imported products are free of significant pests.
A review of the seed varietal certification standard for plant exports identified gaps with changes made for a clearer understanding of requirements.
“Build a biosecurity team of 4.7m people, continue innovative research and adoption of best practice, build good relationships – trade is about relationships.
“Maintain credibility of NZ’s export certification system by setting sound standards with regular auditing and ensure export products are pest-free,” Olsen said.
He admitted he was talking to the converted.
“But we all need to keep our eye on the ball.”
