Varroa mite eradication efforts reveals “a systemic lack of support” for plant biosecurity

The peak industry representing vegetable growers says the federal government’s response to an incursion of varroa mite is revealing the inadequacy for plant biosecurity funding.

Australia’s peak body for vegetable growers has slammed the federal government’s response to an incursion of a deadly bee pest that is threatening the nation’s multibillion-dollar horticulture industry.

Currently classified as a category three pest of “moderate public impact”, varroa mite has led to the extermination of millions of bees and threatens to derail billions of dollars worth of pollination services a year.

Under pre-agreed cost sharing arrangements, federal, state and territory governments will cover 50 per cent of the $65 million eradication effort, with affected industries left to cover the rest.

AUSVEG is calling for the mite’s threat category to be upgraded, which would also commit the government to funding a higher proportion of the response costs.

AUSVEG national manager for engagement and extension Zareem Hassan said the NSW Department of Primary Industries-led emergency eradication response had so far highlighted “a systemic lack of biosecurity support for plant industries by government”.

Ms Hassan said AUSVEG has asked the federal government to revisit the funding proportions and bump up its share so industry groups pay only 20 per cent of the total cost.

“Industry believes that the impact of varroa mite is significantly greater in the public amenities sphere, and has initiated a process to recategorise the cost share category to 20:80,” she said.

Ms Hassan claimed a lack of funding for biosecurity support for plant industries was “visibly apparent” in the disparate support provided to foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, which were potential biosecurity threats to Australia.

“In comparison, support to varroa mite, which has already been detected in Australia and is the plant industry’s largest eradication response, is pale,” she said.

The federal government has estimated the direct economic impact of an FMD outbreak in Australia at $80 billion over 10 years. Some reports have put the cost of an LSD outbreak at $7 billion in the first year. In comparison, a federal government benefit-cost analysis of a varroa mite outbreak put estimated losses to producers and consumers of pollination-dependent crops at $5.2 billion over 30 years.

In July, the federal government announced $9 million in immediate funding to manage the increased threat of FMD and LSD in Australia, and $5 million to provide Indonesia - which has been trying to contain its FMD outbreak since May - with immediate support. This was followed by $10 million in August to futher assist Indonesia.

Meanwhile avocado growers who are in the throws of a glut are required to fund $1.7 million of the varroa eradication effort, and the industry is at pains to point out it had no role in causing the incursion.

This sentiment was echoed by numerous horticultural industries in submissions to a Senate inquiry assessing the adequacy of the federal government’s response to the detection of varroa mite in NSW in June and its preparedness for a FMD or LSD incursion.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council noted the international transport industry bore none of the clean-up costs, despite facilitating most of the pest incursions.

“Strangely, it is the recipient industry, and those other horticultural industries impacted most that are footing the bills and paying,” AHBIC said.

Australia’s booming almond, citrus and stone-fruit industries are anxiously watching on as the DPI’s 100-day deadline to get rid of the parasite looms at the end of this month.

Peter O'Shanessy and David Dean examine hives and take bee samples for testing, near Paterson, on the NSW Central Coast in July. PICTURE: NICK CUBBIN

A NSW DPI spokeswoman said the cost to eradicate varroa mite had been agreed to and would be shared between federal, state and territory governments and affected industry parties under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed.

“On top of this is the large number of ongoing staff involved in response whose salary cannot be cost shared,” a spokeswoman said.

No other additional funding by the NSW and federal government has been awarded to the eradication effort.