What we've been doing to keep BMSB out

A new KVH Risk Update on Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is available online. The update outlines how BMSB risk is being mitigated at the border, through readiness activities, and awareness campaigns.

The 2016/17 high-risk season national communications campaign is well underway by MPI, KVH and other industry groups. The aim of the campaign is to lift public awareness around the damaging impacts of BMSB and increase the likelihood of early detection through more people knowing what to lookout for and reporting any suspect finds.

There are some great statistics about the impacts our communications and advertising are having. New activities and data for the last few weeks:

• KVH has contacted all backpackers that host seasonal workers to make sure they are aware of the risk posed by BMSB, and visited local Tauranga backpackers,
• the KVH One News story that aired at the end of August prompted the most calls (15) to the MPI 0800 pest and disease hotline, with web ads the next (10) biggest prompt,
• BMSB information has been distributed to over 160 garden retailers through NZPPI,
• there have been over 5,000 visits to stink bug online information pages,
• MetService ads have prompted the most visits (1,477) to websites with Facebook advertising the next (1,340) most successful.