The NPPO of the exporting country must approve and certify the systems approach. Each consignment prepared for export under a systems approach must be inspected by the NPPO of the exporting country to verify that no quarantine pests are present.
The NPPO must sample and inspect consignments for live quarantine pests and ensure that it meets Australia’s import conditions. Consignments meeting the requirements of the NPPO approved systems approach must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with the following additional declaration:
“This consignment was produced and prepared for export by [insert name of approved growers and/or packing houses] under an NPPO approved systems approach and was inspected and found free from live quarantine pests.”
If live quarantine pests are detected, a phytosanitary certificate should not be issued.
Diagram of an example systems approach
This diagram is an example of how a systems approach could be used to produce pest free cut flowers and foliage for export to Australia. Not all steps may be required, but where a step is critical to managing a quarantine pest to achieve Australia’s import requirements, the NPPO must confirm that these critical controls have been applied.
Measures that can be used as part of a systems approach
Under a systems approach various measures might be put in place at both production and post-harvest stages.
Production
- Site management
- Sanitation and hygiene
- Pest free production sites
- Production inputs
- Pest free propagation material
- Clean growing media
- Pest monitoring e.g. visual examination and trapping
- Pest control
- Pesticides e.g. chemical and organic (oils, soaps, plant extracts)
- Physical e.g. enclosed production systems such as glasshouses and screen houses
- Cultural e.g. field hygiene and sanitation, planting densities
- Mechanical e.g. use of sticky traps
- Biological e.g. release of predators to suppress pest populations.
- Sorting and grading
- Post-harvest treatments e.g. chemical, physical, controlled atmosphere
- Hygiene and sanitation of packing facilities
- Temperature control during the packing process
- Packing in pest proof containers to prevent re-infestation
- Inspection to verify freedom from live quarantine pests.