Plant biosecurity

The mission of Western Australia's plant biosecurity programs is to safeguard plant resources from exotic and established pests and diseases. The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) has adopted a 'biosecurity continuum' approach with pre-border, border and post-border biosecurity strategies as integral components of this approach.

The aim of DAFWA’s approach is to identify key threats to productivity, sustainability and market access and outline preventive and response strategies.

The management of biological risks to market access, product safety, quality, productivity and sustainability is a shared responsibility and can be managed together and cost-effectively by means of partnerships between industry, community and government.

DAFWA’s biosecurity policies and operations are targeted to facilitate safe trade, tourism and commodity movement whilst reducing exposure of the State's plant resources to exotic biological risks.

Articles

Western Australian Viticulture Industry Biosecurity Manual

25 August 2017

A pest risk assessment of pests with reported occurrences in Australia but which have not established in Western Australia (WA) found 45 pests that were considered priority pest threats to the viti
DDLS - Seed testing and certification services

19 November 2013

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Diagnostic Laboratory Services (DDLS) - Seed Testing and Certification provides a variety of services including seed testing, crop and
Citrus canker Western Australia

30 April 2018

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has taken action to protect Western Australia’s citrus growers from the threat of citrus canker following confirmation that the disease
Rockmelons safety update

9 March 2018

The recent listeria food safety warning around rockmelons on the east coast of Australia does not apply to Western Australia.
GRDC Research Updates 2017: Russian wheat aphid - where are we at with this pest in WA?

16 February 2017

Aim:

To provide an update to the Western Australian grains industry on surveillance for Russian wheat aphid (RWA) in WA and effective management should the pest be found in WA.
Sweetpotato weevil: Declared pest

6 April 2016

Sweet potato weevil Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) is the most serious pest of sweet potato, not only in the United States, but around the world.
Biosecurity alert: Dickeya dianthicola

10 July 2017

Dickeya dianthicola is a serious bacterium that can cause tuber soft rot and blackleg in potatoes, and can also affect some ornamental varieties, chicory and artichoke.
Washed ware potato policy review: draft pest categorisation

14 November 2016

The department is reviewing its policy in regards to the import of washed ware potatoes from other Australian states and territories.
Citrus biosecurity and quarantine

11 November 2013

Protecting Western Australian citrus orchards from pests and diseases that could significantly affect their production and therefore the availability of citrus is an important activity of growers,
Current plant biosecurity pest risk analyses

14 October 2013

This page summarises information on the status of plant and bee-related pest risk analyses prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.