Review of the Biosecurity Plan for the Rice Industry

Australia’s freedom from exotic pests that affect rice production overseas provides the industry with a yield advantage, reduced production costs and access to certain valuable markets. Biosecurity planning to identify and prioritise biosecurity risks and mitigation activities, is therefore critical to ensure the industry can minimise the impact of new pests and maintain these advantages. Through representation by Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA), biosecurity planning ensures the industry complies with its legal obligations as signatories to the EPPRD. Biosecurity planning provides the industry with a framework for risk mitigation, assists in managing the impact of potential pest incursions and provides a roadmap for future investment in biosecurity.

The rice industry is currently covered by Version 3.0of the Biosecurity Plan for the Rice Industry. This plan was published in 2014 and is now due for review. The objective of this project is to develop a Biosecurity Plan for the Rice Industry using the newly developed biosecurity planning process to ensure all stakeholders can make informed decisions about biosecurity threats to the industry and prioritise and progress risk mitigation activities.