Growers are invited to provide feedback on an ABGC-led Banana Industry Code of Practice for planting material.

ABGC and Biosecurity Solutions Australia are developing the Code.

The Code aims to provide detailed guidance to growers on the use of planting material and outline the reasonable and practical steps to minimise associated biosecurity risks and protect the industry.

The Code will provide a single and clear reference for what the General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO) means for Queensland growers and, similarly, the meaning of the General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) for those in NSW. That is, a mechanism for government to decide if growers are meeting industry expectations in the way they use planting material.

All people including growers have an obligation to be aware of pests, diseases and weeds and take action to prevent their introduction and spread, for example, Panama disease TR4, Race 1 and Bunchy top virus.

The Code is about ensuring your farm business is not put at risk by any ill-considered actions of other growers.

A copy of the Draft of Code of Practice is available here

Feedback can be sent to Dr Rosie Godwin at rosie.godwin@abgc.org.au by 14 August, 2020.

For a hard copy of the Code, please call ABGC on (07) 32784787.