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Plant Health
Plant health is critical to the long term viability of Australia’s agricultural cropping and forestry industries. It also helps sustain some of the country’s animal-based industries. Plant health is particularly important in terms of securing the country’s domestic and international trade in plant and plant products.
A favourable plant health status
Australia has a favourable plant health status, being free from many of the damaging plant pests that occur overseas. This status is a key factor in determining the success of the country’s plant industries. It provides these industries with a competitive advantage in terms of trade in plant and plant products, helping them to maintain and gain access to new domestic and international markets.
Australia’s plant industries – including horticulture, grains and forestry – are largely dependent on trade to remain profitable and sustainable. Furthermore, some of the country’s animal-based industries use plant and plant products produced in Australia for feed to remain viable. Together these industries are worth over $18 billion annually.
Australia's plant health system
Australia maintains and improves its favourable plant health status through a nationally coordinated plant health system. This system protects the country's plant industries from the impacts of emergency plant pests, including exotic weeds, to ensure the secure trade in plant and plant products. A major focus of the system is preparedness and response to emergency plant pests.
Working together in plant health
Australia’s plant health interest groups, including governments and industry, work together to maintain and improve the country’s national plant health system.
The Office of the Chief Plant Protection Officer (OCPPO) provides a leadership role in national plant health policy development and is an international focal point for plant health in Australia. OCPPO works on a range of national activities directed at maintaining our plant health status and preparedness and responding to plant health issues such as incursions of emergency plant pests. Much of this is done in partnership with Plant Health Australia (PHA), a private company with government and industry membership.
Australia’s national plant health committees ensure that interest groups responsible for various plant health issues work together in a coordinated and strategic way. These committees are supported by the country's national plant health coordinators.
International plant health activities
Also essential to Australia's plant health system are a range of international activities. These activities aim to mitigate risks associated with emergency plant pests off-shore. Activities include regional plant health programs such as the SPS Capacity Building Program, and the coordination by Australia’s International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat to ensure the country meets its international phytosanitary obligations.