In the news

Fine after attempting to import exotic plants: A Tauranga man was sentenced and fined $5250 at the Auckland District Court last week on a single charge under the Biosecurity Act.

The man attempted to import a package of plant bulbs from India. That package was caught and seized by customs officers, which led the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to investigate and initially provide educational advice in an attempt to deter him from future offending. However, MPI later intercepted a further six attempts to illegally import plant material into the country.

The threat of invasive species explained: The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in the USA is educating Americans about the spread of invasive species with a new video that shines a spotlight on various invasives that have travelled from far and wide to the USA – including threats well known to the kiwifruit industry, such as Spotted Lanternfly.

The video is only a few minutes long and well worth a watch, explaining how and why these invaders spread at such alarming rates and the health and property damage they can cause.