07/11/2024
Proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has completed a review of the Biosecurity Act 1993 and is currently consulting on several proposed amendments.
Since 2018, KVH has been actively involved in the review process, providing input on behalf of the kiwifruit industry, and it is pleasing to see that this input has been reflected in some of the proposed changes.
What are the proposed changes? There are more than 70 proposed changes to the Act which vary in significance to our industry. MPI has grouped these proposals into six topics and provided discussion documents and more detailed regulatory impact assessments for each:
System wide issues Funding and compensationBorder and importsReadiness and responseLong-term managementLegislative interfaces
These documents can be found on the MPI website here.
KVH is drafting a comprehensive submission that will address most of the proposed changes, as each has some bearing on how the biosecurity system will operate in the future, although some of the proposals are much more significant to our sector, particularly those in the sections about funding and compensation, readiness and response, and long-term management.
KVH has attended a number of workshops with other members of the primary sector to ensure we understand the major issues and help inform our position on these. Over the next month we will be testing and socialising our position with the kiwifruit industry, including industry forums such as the NZKGI Forum, Industry Advisory Council, and the Technical Forum.
We welcome the opportunity for further discussion with growers on these matters and will include this as part of our presentation at the upcoming Zespri Grower Roadshows.
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05/11/2024
Stink bug awareness building
The annual national Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) campaign is underway, increasing awareness with the public of the threat this bug poses and the importance to report any possible finds.
This high-risk season there will be a continuation of using successful digital channels, like TVNZ Plus and social media – including targeted Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads. Shoppers popping into The Warehouse around the country will also see displays, encouraging surveillance and reporting to protect New Zealand.
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01/11/2024
Fun Fact
We’ve been at a lot of grower field days over the last few weeks, and it’s been great to see you all. Here is a photo from a Trevelyan’s day that included some much-needed sweet treats! Thanks to the Trevelyan’s team for your support.
A reminder we have a spring 2024 biosecurity flyer out now, with tips on protecting your orchard investment and managing biosecurity risk through to pollination. Share this with your teams and also check out recordings from this year’s Biosecurity Symposium now available on our YouTube channel.
Remember to report unusual vine symptoms, including new or unexpected Psa-V symptoms of concern, to KVH on 0800 665 825 or by email.
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01/11/2024
It's that time of year again: calendar underway
Believe it or not we’re working on the always popular ‘unwanted pest’ calendar already.
It will be coming your way in the December Kiwiflier and it’s especially for the kiwifruit industry. We’ve put the 2025 bright and colourful calendar together to help demonstrate the most harmful pests that we all need to be on the lookout for, as well as what we can all do manage their risk – by having biosecurity plans, knowing how to make a report if we spot anything unusual, and how to make use of all the resources and help we have available to you.
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01/11/2024
Kiwifruit biosecurity story shared with aquaculture sector
Last month KVH’s Biosecurity Manager, Matt Dyck presented at the annual Aquaculture New Zealand Conference to discuss building biosecurity resilience.
Matt shared with the audience lessons from the kiwifruit industry’s biosecurity journey and our strategic work plan.
KVH collaborates across the primary sectors on biosecurity matters to share learnings and ensure we continue to leverage off each other’s efforts for more efficient outcomes.
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01/11/2024
Meet the team
In the next few issues of the Bulletin, we’ll be sharing more about our team, the roles we have, and how each of us interact with you, our readers and growers, in our day-to-day activities.
First cab off the rank for introductions is Andrew McConnell.
I’m the National Operations & Compliance Officer here at KVH.
I’ve been in the role since early 2022 and have a wealth of experience in biosecurity, pest management, and risk management.
I’ve worked across the private sector, central, and local government, and most recently, I was a Senior Biosecurity Officer at Waikato Regional Council, where I managed large pest animal control and eradication projects. Fun fact - in a past life I was also a Quarantine Officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries in Auckland where I inspected items coming into the country for biosecurity risks. Also, during the last Queensland Fruit Fly incursion in 2019 I was seconded to manage the movement of risk goods into and out of the Controlled Areas.
I’m no stranger to the kiwifruit industry though. I worked at Aongatete Coolstores in production and technical roles, and I dabbled in running their KiwiGreen and Psa programmes.
I joined KVH when I returned home to Mount Maunganui after many years out of the region, and the best part of my role is the awesome collaboration I see every day. I get to work with regional councils and landowners on the national wild kiwifruit control programme and manage the movement of risk material throughout the country. It’s exciting to be with dedicated people who want to do everything they can to protect the industry and the environment.
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01/11/2024
All the best Jacqui
Last week we said farewell (for now) to Jacqui Craig, our Industry Relationships and Office Manager, and long-term colleague.
A long serving member of our team, Jacqui joined KVH in 2011 at the height of the Psa response and while the organisation was in its early days of being formed. Needless, to say, she has seen it all and has been keenly involved in every step the organisation has taken in the years since.
Jacqui’s role has included many functions but to name just a few, she has always been the “go to” for daily staff and operational requirements for the KVH office and has managed our administration functions. She also provided administration and accounts support for NZKGI.
With long-standing experience within the kiwifruit industry, combined with her amazing contacts and friendships, Jacqui has assisted both KVH and NZKGI with maintaining relationships and contacts with personnel across the post-harvest sector.
She has also been a long-term champion of industry personnel development and has been key to the success of several industry groups and causes for good – which will be left in good stead thanks to her efforts.
It goes without saying that many readers will know Jacqui well and join us in thanking her for her immense contribution to KVH and the industry over the years.
We wish Jacqui all the best as she embarks on her next journey – we’ll miss her as a colleague but take reassurance and happiness in knowing that she’ll always remain a close friend.
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04/11/2024
Gary Davies - new KVH Regional Coordinator for Hawke’s Bay
KVH is excited to welcome Gary Davies as the new KVH Regional Coordinator for the Hawke’s Bay region.
Our Regional Coordinators are a key part of the industry biosecurity network, providing an important communication link between KVH, the wider industry, community, and growers.
Gary already has strong connections with the Hawke’s Bay growing community, through his role as NZKGI rep, since 2022, and through his ongoing involvement in the Hawke’s Bay Horticultural Advisory Group, a pan-sector group set up to support growers through the Cyclone Gabrielle emergency response.
He is a local beekeeper providing pollination hives for kiwifruit, stone fruit and berry orchards and he also runs a Facebook group (NZ Kiwifruit Small Growers), an initiative set up to give growers an opportunity to share their questions, issues, and successes as well as seek out practical needs such as contract labor and machinery.
In this new role Gary will also support KVH and growers by helping identify any unmanaged risks and raise any biosecurity issues of regional concern back to KVH. Gary can also help with the follow-up of unusual symptoms. KVH looks forward to supporting Gary in this new space and urges growers to touch base with him – his details, and a full list of our Regional Coordinators contact details can be found here.
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25/10/2024
KVH satisfaction survey
We’re running a short survey about the ways in which we share information with you, and how often.
We’re working to raise awareness about good biosecurity practice, the benefits these can bring, and the potentially devastating impacts of another incursion on our orchards. In doing this, we need to learn more about the ways you prefer us to keep in touch with you and how we can get important information under your nose. Complete the survey here.
All responses are anonymous and will be kept confidential to KVH.
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07/10/2024
Fine for breaking plant import quarantine rules
The seriousness of meeting biosecurity requirements was highlighted recently with the company and director of a nursery who illegally took 220 imported plants out of quarantine after just one day, fined $42,500.
Elliott Wholesale Nursery Limited - which is not a kiwifruit nursery - is a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) registered Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility. Under the Biosecurity Act, imported plants should be in quarantine for three months.
In September 2022, the nursery imported 600 Nandina domestica tissue culture – an evergreen shrub from Australia. The plants were unpacked and placed in PEQ, where they needed to remain for the full three months. However, after just one day, Mr Elliot removed 220 of these plants, placing them in a non PEQ area.
To avoid detection and to circumnavigate the biosecurity rules designed to protect New Zealand from potentially unwanted pests and diseases, he replaced these plants with similar looking domestic plants, which he admitted doing to an employee who questioned him.
No pests or diseases were found on the plants that were taken out of the quarantine facility.
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09/10/2024
Biosecurity skills shown by Young Grower contestants
KVH was thrilled to present a biosecurity competition module as part of the National Young Grower of the Year finals in Hawke’s Bay yesterday (Wednesday).
The six contestants were tested on their general knowledge of pathway risk management and on-orchard biosecurity planning.
They all showed a great understanding of how to protect their property boundaries, and the practical steps to make a great biosecurity plan that ensures best biosecurity practice every day.
Winners of the regional fruit and vegetable grower competitions were the contestants that battled it out across seven modules for the grand title, with the winner announced later this evening (Thursday) so be sure to check the news or the Young Grower of the Year website here.
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07/10/2024
Fun Fact
Another example of bogus, or at least inaccurate, declaration details involved a recent package from Australia that was supposed to contain glass beads.
Further scrutiny by officers at the International Mail Centre revealed four packets of germinating seeds on wet tissue paper. The parcel was destroyed, and the importer received a letter outlining their biosecurity responsibilities.
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