KVH attends fruit fly workshop

While most of the KVH staff were out door knocking and wrapping up this year’s fruit fly response last week, another KVH member was attending a two-day workshop to help prepare for the next biosecurity response (should this ever occur).

Over the last six months, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and AsureQuality (AQ) staff have been reviewing the Fruit Fly Response Standard and associated Operational Procedures to identify improvements that can be implemented in the short term, with a more comprehensive review of the Fruit Fly Standard to occur next year.

The workshop represented a culmination of these efforts, and walked through a proposed scenario to ensure that all proposed changes are embedded at an operational level and fit for purpose.

While New Zealand’s horticultural industries are all hoping for a pest-free Christmas and a response-free 2016, these activities are important to ensure that we are prepared should they occur.