Contingency plans for exotic pests of grain

Australia’s geographic isolation and active quarantine systems have meant we have remained relatively free of many pests that affect production of grain crops overseas. To ensure that our high plant health status is maintained, activities that support biosecurity risk mitigation are essential.

Preparation of contingency plans for key pest threats support risk mitigation through provision of detailed information on pest life cycles, potential for pest entry, establishment and spread, survival strategies and methods for surveillance and sampling. In the event of an incursion of a pest, the collation of information within Contingency Plans assists with the development of response plans which results in more rapid and efficient decision making for eradication, containment or management options.

Within this project, development of Contingency Plans for 14 priority pest threats and one pest weed species has been undertaken. These pests were selected based on the overall risk rating identified in the Grains Industry Biosecurity Plan and also on the value of crop production. Completion of these plans will provide information for all high priority and the majority of medium priority pests of major grain crops, ensuring the grains industry is prepared for potential incursions of a wide range of pest threats.