Australia and New Zealand have entered into a new collaboration to strengthen plant biosecurity research.
The Australian Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative (PBRI) will join forces with Better Border Biosecurity, New Zealand (B3 NZ) through a memorandum of understanding.
“We are both committed to working together to deliver plant biosecurity research of mutual benefit to both countries,” said PBRI Chair Greg Fraser.
“Trans-Tasman connections will be facilitated between key elements of our biosecurity research, development and extension systems,” said B3NZ Chair James Buwalda.
The main aspects of the new collaboration will involve:
- cross-sectoral projects on pre-border, at-border and immediate post-border biosecurity research;
- government, industry, research or academic players, including partners of PBRI and B3; and
- formation of a joint Aus/NZ plant biosecurity network to support the professional development of post-graduate and post-doctoral students.
As part of this collaboration, New Zealand biosecurity researchers will be invited to the inaugural Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative R&D Symposium being held on 15-16 August 2019 in Brisbane.
This follows the attendance by Australian biosecurity professionals at the third Better Border Biosecurity (B3) conference held in May 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand.
Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative (PBRI) supports cross-sectoral investment for plant biosecurity research development and extension, delivering vital projects and attracts further co-investment. PBRI partners, listed below, work collaboratively with industry, state and federal biosecurity stakeholders.
- Australian’s seven plant research and development corporations:
- Agrifutures Australia
- Cotton Research and Development Corporation
- Forest and Wood Products Australia
- Grains Research and Development Corporation
- Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
- Sugar Research Australia Limited
- Wine Australia
- Plant Health Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
- Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations
Better Border Biosecurity, New Zealand (B3 NZ) acts as the pre-eminent research provider for science-based plant border biosecurity solutions in NZ and provides a single point access to the NZ science system for plant border biosecurity research. This unincorporated joint venture integrates investment and expertise from five science agencies:
- Plant & Food Research
- AgResearch
- Scion
- Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
- the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University
Working with five end-user partners:
- Ministry for Primary Industries
- Department of Conservation
- New Zealand Forest Owners Association representing the forestry sector
- Horticulture NZ representing the horticulture/cropping sector
- Beef+Lamb NZ representing the pastoral sector
Media contact: Mandy Gyles, Plant Health Australia mgyles@phau.com.au 0408 332374