High Value Crops - Stakeholder Update, May 2006

9 May 2006

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Government funding for access to genetic material

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ) has obtained funding to develop diagnostic services to access genetic material of high-value crops (such as apples, grapes, kiwifruit and potatoes) from overseas.

The funding will initially be used to develop and validate the manuals specifying the tests required to ensure imported material is free from damaging pests and diseases. The first testing manuals developed will be for Actinidia and Vaccinium seed and nursery stock.

Prioritisation for the development of future manuals will be in consultation with stakeholders representing importers of plant and forestry species, and existing Level 3 post-entry quarantine (PEQ) service providers. The priorisation process is currently being finalised.

In future, the funding will also be used to develop and provide a cost-recovered testing service for plants in quarantine. Currently, there are no plans to use the funding to develop quarantine facility space, other than that required to carry out transmission tests.

For additional information on the programme visit:

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/plants/standards/high-value-crops (offsite link to www.biosecurity.govt.nz)

The new team

Plant Health and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) will be managing this programme. PHEL is part of MAF’s Investigation & Diagnostic Centres, formerly the National Plant Pest Reference Laboratory. A new team called Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) for High-Value Crops has been established to deliver these activities.

Gerard Clover - Team Manager
 
Trained as a virologist, Gerard has investigated virus biology and developed diagnostic methods for BNZ and the Central Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom.
 
For the past five years, Gerard has been working in the regulatory area in Wellington – most recently as the manager of the Plant Imports Team, and previously setting the import requirements for seeds and nursery stock.
Lia Liefting - Scientist
 
Lia has extensive experience in plant pathology. During her PhD at Auckland University and subsequent work in the University of California and AgriGenesis, she focused on phytoplasma diseases. She also has experience of virus and viroid diseases.
Lisa Ward - Scientist
 
Lisa has broad experience in the field of plant pathology. She started her career as a mycologist, working on biocontrol of cereal fungi during her PhD at Edinburgh University and post-doctorate at Montana State University. For the last five years she has been employed at the United Kingdom’s Central Science Laboratory, developing molecular diagnostic techniques for plant viruses and fungi, e.g. in cereals, sugar beet and potatoes.
Hayley Thompson - Senior Technician
 
Hayley has experience in molecular plant virology, gained through her degree at the University of Queensland. During her studies, she characterised and developed diagnostic tests for two new pineapple viruses. Most recently, she has been employed at PHEL to assist with the diagnosis of viruses intercepted in PEQ and development of detection methods.
A Glasshouse Supervisor is currently being recruited, see MAF’s website for further details:
 
http://jobs.haineslink.co.nz/maf/vacancies.cfm (offsite link to jobs.haineslink.co.nz)

Future updates

We plan to e-mail stakeholder updates every two-three months to keep you informed of our progress and other relevant material. These updates will be more regular during the establishment period.

If you do not wish to receive these updates, please reply to this e-mail asking to be removed from the mailing list.

If you know of others who might be interested in these updates, please let us know and we will add them to the mailing list. The PEQ (High-Value Crops) team can be contacted at: peqtesting@maf.govt.nz