Most Unwanted update

KVH regularly talks about various bugs and disease threats, but which ones are at the top of the list and how are they ranked?

We have a risk matrix to provide a structured method of prioritising threat organisms into a shorter list for the purpose of readiness and response planning.

The top eight organisms that are considered the highest risk - based on the likelihood of them entering and establishing in New Zealand, and the potential production and market access impacts should this occur - become our ‘Most Unwanted’.

We’ve just updated the list, and many of the pests and pathogens that feature will look familiar – Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) for example. However, we do have a new addition, the Yellow Spotted Stink Bug (YSSB).

The YSSB has entered the top eight because it is considered a pest of kiwifruit in China, border detections of YSSB have increased, and it has recently been detected invading countries outside its current native range.

Like other stink bugs, it’s a hitchhiker that could get here any number of ways – on machinery and cargo, cars, containers, or even in luggage.

Significant efforts are put into readiness planning for these threats, essentially involving working with others in our industry, Biosecurity New Zealand, and affected sectors to agree how we would respond to an incursion.

The new Most Unwanted foldout flyer and poster are on our website now. Please get in touch if you’d like us to post you copies – they’re being printed now, and we’ll have a big A2 poster copy in your March Kiwiflier at the end of the month.