Establishment of Plant Health and Biosecurity Stakeholder Network a Positive Step

Irish Hardy Nursery Stock Association (IHNSA) Chair Val Farrell has acknowledged as a positive step, the establishment of the Plant Health and Biosecurity Stakeholder Network.

“The stakeholder group will provide a network for engagement with The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and other plant health stakeholders within the industry,” Val Farrell said.

“At the first meeting of the stakeholder network, DAFM provided an outline of the key plant health policy and operational developments, including a specific challenge in maintaining Ireland’s Protected Zone status for the bacterial pest Fireblight,”

“Ireland no longer meets EU Protected Zone (PZ) requirements for Fireblight and intends to apply to the European Commission to revoke its PZ status for Fireblight,” he said.

Should the Commission remove Ireland’s PZ status for Fireblight, it will be treated as a Union Regulated Non-Quarantine Pest, requiring controls on plants for planting in nurseries only. Surveillance for Fireblight in the wider environment will cease.

DAFM will implement “pest free area” arrangements for those businesses who wish to trade host plants into other protected zones.

“The stakeholder group also provided us with an overview of the good work carried out by DAFM. An update on the Plant Health Emergency Team, Irish Plant Pest Risk Register, Pest Surveillance and Outbreaks as well as Customs Controls were all discussed in detail,” Val Farrell added.

“We will continue to engage and collaborate on plant health and biosecurity through this newly established stakeholder group. The Nursery sector faces many ongoing challenges, and by working collectively we can protect our industry,” he concluded.