What was it all about?

From 2018 to 2023, this five-year investment reviewed and updated the sweetpotato industry’s biosecurity plan. Available from the Plant Health Australia website here, the plan is a top-level document that identifies high-priority endemic and exotic pests, diseases and weeds, along with the risk mitigation activities required to reduce their biosecurity threat, plus surveillance and diagnostic activities. It provides a strategic framework for industry and government to work together to improve preparedness for and response to these potential threats.

To develop the plan, Plant Health Australia undertook the following activities:

• A meeting of industry members and scientific experts to identify and prioritise high priority pests (exotic and established) for the industry.
• A post border biosecurity capability assessment for all high priority pests to inform the development of biosecurity implementation activities to mitigate risk, prepare for response and plan for business continuity needs if an exotic pest establishes in Australia.
• An enhanced approach to implementing biosecurity through formation of a Biosecurity Implementation Group.
• A face-to-face meeting and coordination of the Biosecurity Implementation Group to review and finalise the plan.
• Endorsement of the plan at the industry level, through Australian Sweetpotato Growers Inc. (ASPG), and the government level, through Plant Health Committee, for launching at an appropriate industry event.

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The current sweetpotato biosecurity plan is available from the Plant Health Australia website.