Biosecurity

Biosecurity is hugely important to New Zealand’s fresh fruit and vegetable industry. The enormity of the biosecurity task means that it is vital for our entire industry and all New Zealanders to take action to mitigate biosecurity risks at home, at work, when we travel and within our communities.

Currently, United Fresh works with stakeholders including Ministry for Primary Industries and industry groups including the Fruit Fly and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Councils to ensure members receive important communications and resources.

Update on the Biosecurity Business Pledge

United Fresh is one of 80 organisations that have committed to playing our part in the efforts to prevent pests and diseases from getting into New Zealand or helping stop their spread if they do get here by signing the Biosecurity Business Pledge. This partnership between Biosecurity New Zealand and businesses/organisations aims to help all New Zealand businesses take a proactive approach to biosecurity practices.

In May 2021, we participated in an online workshop that highlighted the six potential project proposals as follows;

  • 1) Development of guidance for biosecurity risk governance
  • 2) Template biosecurity clauses for commercial policies and contracts
  • 3) Review of biosecurity skills and training for businesses
  • 4) Common KPI’s for biosecurity
  • 5) Response readiness toolkit
  • 6) Common collateral of support stakeholder engagement

The group discussed the projects in breakout sessions, providing valuable insight helping to prioritise the following three projects to move forward with;

  • 1) Development of guidance for biosecurity risk governance
  • 2) Review biosecurity skills and training availability for business
  • 3) Creating common KPIs for biosecurity

We will provide another update once the projects are underway. For more info on the Pledge go to Biosecurity Business Pledge (thisisus.nz)

Other Biosecurity Updates

CIMS Online Workshop with United Fresh & MPI

We hosted an Intro to CIMS (Co-ordinated Incident Management System) with the Ministry for Primary Industries.

This workshop was held online over two half days in June 2021.

If you have any questions about future workshops, please email info@unitedfresh.co.nz