Earlier today, around 60 people from across the kiwifruit industry came together to test and refresh their biosecurity response skills.

Hosted by KVH, with support from Biosecurity New Zealand, the event enhances our industry’s biosecurity response capability via an interactive scenario. Participants had the opportunity to see how the components of a biosecurity response work – including all the different functions, teams, and roles – and how they all fit together to ensure the response achieves its goals, and limits impacts on our growers, businesses, and communities.

The scenario, which involved detection and investigation of a new type of Phytophthora, was especially developed for the kiwifruit industry and included all teams/functions testing all the elements of best biosecurity practice, such as reporting; investigation and diagnostics; traceability; and engagement with key audiences.

Thank you to all who took part in the day. Training like this helps ensure we all increase our confidence we can play our part in a response. Most importantly, as we all know, the better prepared and more capable we are as industry, the more chance we have of successfully responding to a biosecurity incursion.