Thursday, 27 September 2018 13:37

Biosecurity team to grow

Written by  Tessa Nicholson
Brown marmorated stink bug. Brown marmorated stink bug.

It is no surprise that biosecurity is one of the greatest concerns facing the New Zealand wine industry at the moment. 

Images of ships carrying imported cars from Japan being turned away at the Port of Auckland due to large numbers of brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) being found on board, are enough to send anyone into a state of panic. Which is why New Zealand Winegrowers are upping the personnel in the biosecurity office.

CEO Philip Gregan says the board agreed to employ a second biosecurity officer in an effort to ensure the industry keeps on top of potential incursions.

“We see biosecurity issues as both a growing threat and a growing opportunity for the industry,” he says. “The threat is; we are seeing greatly increased pressure from brown marmorated stink bug at the border. The opportunity is; we have signed the biosecurity Government Industry Agreement and that requires us to be more actively involved in preparing the industry for incursions when they occur – not if.”

Gregan says if industry members weren’t concerned with the potential for an incursion of BMSB prior to this year, the “exceptional” numbers discovered on ships in February were enough to get the message home.

“We have seen with mycoplasma bovis in the dairy industry and with PSA in Kiwifruit a few years back, that these (biosecurity) issues arise and they can have devastating consequences very quickly, so we need to be well prepared.”

Part of that preparation he says is ensuring that growers are filling in the vineyard register and ensuring all details are correct. 

“If we don’t know where the vineyards are and there is a problem, that becomes a major issue in itself.”

Recruitment for a second biosecurity officer is now underway and the new appointment will join Dr Edwin Massey based in Marlborough. 

» Latest Print Issues Online

Popular Reads

Ten years of Méthode Marlborough

New Zealand wine enthusiasts have a deepening understanding and growing appreciation of sparkling wine, says Mel Skinner, Chair of Méthode Marlborough…