December 2011

Inside this issue:

Message from the Director
Biosecurity Heat Treatment Methodology
Changes to AQIS and the Offshore Development Program
The International Arrangements Program
Joint System Reviews identify major non-compliance
AFAS Audit Training Project
AFAS - Sri Lanka Audit Training
Upcoming Events
Ozone Award for AFAS Indonesia
DAFF Biosecurity Visit to Chile and Peru
Technical Quick Tip
AFAS - Indonesia Joint System Review
AFAS - Thailand Joint System Review

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Message from the Director

2011 has been an exciting and busy year for the AFAS team. Highlights included the inaugural Quarantine Regulators Meeting in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Vietnam joining AFAS and the various Joint System Reviews carried out with our AFAS partners.

Most recently, the Australian Government has announced their decision to change the direction of the AQIS brand and to align this more effectively with the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Furthermore, the Offshore Development Program has a new identity, the International Arrangements Program. Page 2 of this newsletter details more information on the changes to AQIS and our Program.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Indonesian partners for taking out a prestigious Ozone Award for reducing methyl bromide emissions.

As the AFAS Newsletter is fast becoming a popular source of information for our AFAS partners, we would love to have your contribution to a future issue!

Please email afas@aqis.gov.au to submit your articles.

I wish you all a safe and happy new year.


David Cox

Director
International Arrangements

Biosecurity Heat Treatment Methodology

A draft of the heat treatment methodology was presented and discussed at the 2011 Quarantine Regulators Meeting. Currently the methodology is being reviewed and will be sent to all AFAS member countries for further comment in the near future. The intention of the heat treatment methodology is for it to be applicable to a range of products or items and is not limited to wood packaging material.

If you have any queries in regard to the development of the methodology please email afas@aqis.gov.au

Changes to AQIS and the Offshore Development Program

Recently, the Australian Government made a decision to introduce a new Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Biosecurity (DAFF Biosecurity) identity, rather than continue to use the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) name and branding.

As the business of AQIS is changing, the focus on quarantine no longer reflects the diversity of our biosecurity business and the way we need to engage our stakeholders and the community into the future and, more generally, the focus towards biosecurity across the continuum – offshore, at the border and onshore.

Although AQIS is identifiable with industry and very much associated with border protection and management, the Australian Government has decided to change this because of a strategic shift in biosecurity away from just border protection.

As of 14 November 2011, all AQIS officers will be referred to as DAFF Biosecurity officers and you will notice new logos being presented on publications.

Further to this, the Offshore Development Program has also been provided with a new identity. The International Arrangements Program.

The International Arrangements Program

National Manager- David Cox

International Engagement
Nathan Reid - Manager
Sarah Hutchison
Shahiliya Jayasundera

Audit and Review
Rodney Malone - Manager
Lea Hansen
Nadia Hummel
Angela Belley

Strategic Initiatives
David Kershaw - Manager

Development and Implementation
Gordon Weinert - Manager
Fiona Turner
Saffron Shorter

Technical Initiatives
Wayne Riley - Manager

Joint System Reviews identify major non-compliance

An annual in-country AFAS Joint System Review can assist DAFF Biosecurity to identify areas of concern for major non-compliance.

One such issue recently identified is that methyl bromide fumigations are being conducted on timber products that have had an impervious surface applied to them. Often, this is due to a misunderstanding of the requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Fumigation Standard.

As you may recall from the AFAS methyl bromide fumigation training, impervious surfaces will stop methyl bromide from fully penetrating the commodity, especially when applied to all surfaces of a product (see Section 3.2.2 of the AQIS Methyl Bromide Fumigation Standard).
Impervious surfaces include paints, lacquers, veneers, waxes, oils and wrappings.

The requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Fumigation Standard detail that, treatments are to be conducted before the application of an impervious surface.

Where a treatment is occurring after an impervious surface is applied, the fumigations conducted will not be successful and, will not be accepted by DAFF Biosecurity.

While there have been no changes to the AQIS Methyl Bromide Standard, just a reinforcement of existing requirements, there have been some concerns raised over how these requirements can be managed by fumigators and importers.

DAFF Biosecurity recommends that all AFAS treatment providers discuss these requirements with their clients to find a solution. This solution may include, treating the products prior to the application of an impervious surface or, the use of an alternative treatment as specified by DAFF Biosecurity in the relevant case on the Import Conditions Database (ICON).

Any questions or concerns on this issue can be sent via email to afas@aqis.gov.au.

AFAS Audit Training Project

The success of AFAS relies on the monitoring of fumigation providers to ensure that the required standard for fumigations are reached and maintained.

In recognition of the essential role played by regular and effective auditing of fumigator performance, the International Arrangements Program has developed an audit training course. This course is delivered to government officers, in Australia and overseas, who are responsible for monitoring treatment provider compliance.

The AFAS audit training package is now included as an integral component of implementing AFAS in new countries however, countries who had already implemented AFAS, prior to the training package being developed, did not receive training on performing audits of registered treatment providers.

To address this training deficit and, to strengthen their capacity to monitor fumigation compliance with the requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Standard, the International Arrangements Program was granted funding from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Australia’s international aid program, to deliver audit training in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The AFAS Audit training package was delivered to officers of the:

Philippines Bureau of Plant Industry, October 2010;
Vietnamese Plant Protection Department, July 2010;
Thai Department of Agriculture, December 2010;
Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture, May 2011;
Indonesian Agriculture and Quarantine Agency, June 2011; and
DAFF Biosecurity, September 2009, October 2009, February 2011 and October 2011.

Officers from the Thai Department of Agriculture in audit training.

AFAS - Sri Lanka Audit Training

Following a successful fumigation training visit in March 2011, DAFF Biosecurity returned to Colombo in May 2011 to deliver the AFAS audit training package.

The course ran over three days and was delivered to 20 government officers from the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture (DoA). After the completion of the training course, DAFF Biosecurity accompanied the Sri Lankan DoA on a number of advisory audits to fumigation companies in Colombo.

Generally, the level of compliance was good and DAFF Biosecurity was confident that the companies audited would be able to meet the requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Standard.

DAFF Biosecurity officer, Gordon Weinert, was also able to meet with Industry personnel to discuss the logistics of how AFAS will be implemented in Sri Lanka. The meeting was informative and well received by all Industry representatives.

Officers from the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture

Upcoming Events

Philippines Joint System Review December 2011
Vietnam Joint System Review January 2012
Papua New Guinea Joint System Review February 2012

Ozone Award for AFAS Indonesia

The Centre for Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity, Indonesian Agriculture Quarantine Agency (IAQA) received an Ozone Award from the Minister of Environment, Republic of Indonesia on September 16, 2011.

The IAQA program successfully contributed to ozone layer protection through the implementation of AFAS, for reducing methyl bromide emissions.

In addition, IAQA is continuing to develop alternative treatments to replace the use of methyl bromide as a phytosanitary treatment.
Awards were also presented to researchers and private companies.

The International Arrangements Program would like to congratulate IAQA in their efforts to reduce the use of methyl bromide as an ozone depleting substance.

DAFF Biosecurity Visit to Chile and Peru

DAFF Biosecurity visited Chile and Peru in June/July 2011 to further pursue discussions on AFAS and, had the opportunity to visit fumigation facilities in both countries to observe their systems and processes.

While in Chile, DAFF Biosecurity officers were joined by representatives from the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG).

The itinerary included site visits to fruit production facilities, a mobile fumigation chamber and a tour around facilities in San Antonio (a major port in Chile).

In Peru, DAFF Biosecurity spent time with officers from Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria (SENASA) and viewed the proposed fumigation facility project that SENASA is managing, as well as, fruit production facilities north of Lima, in Casma and Trujillo.

At the conclusion of the visit, DAFF Biosecurity provided Industry representatives with a brief presentation on AFAS and its processes.
Among the many highlights of the visit were the lovely Chilean and Peruvian cuisine and the hospitality extended to DAFF Biosecurity, by SAG and SENASA.

DAFF Biosecurity with officers from SENASA.

Technical Quick Tip

Target of the fumigation

It is important when issuing a fumigation certificate to clearly state what the target of the methyl bromide fumigation is.

In other words, why is the fumigation being done?

A common mistake is for the fumigator to indicate that they are fumigating both the commodity and the packaging material when a container loaded with commodity that is not suitable for fumigation because of impervious surfaces and/or wrapping is being fumigated.

For example:
If the commodity is a manufactured wooden article such as furniture, the quarantine risk may have been effectively treated because the timber has been kiln dried as part of the production process.

In this case the consignment should have a certificate for the kiln drying treatment and, a separate certificate for the methyl bromide fumigation of the container, which will treat the packaging and any hitchhiker pests.

AFAS - Indonesia Joint System Review

The annual Joint System Review of AFAS in Indonesia was conducted in June 2011. A total of 15 companies were audited in the regions of Denpasar and Semarang.

The DAFF Biosecurity team were joined by officers from the Indonesian Agriculture and Quarantine Agency (IAQA), Mr Turhadi Noerachman and Mr Joko Amantoro. A number of other IAQA officers also attended the JSR audits to increase their understanding of the audit processes associated with an AFAS Joint System Review.

As with all AFAS Joint System Reviews, the audits incorporated a full review of each selected treatment provider’s equipment, documentation and fumigation practices. This process allows the audit team to get a full and accurate picture of the compliance level of each company against the requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Standard.

The standard of compliance with AFAS in Indonesia was generally very high, and the majority of treatment providers had good internal training procedures in place. These training procedures work well to ensure that the training provided to AFAS accredited fumigators is also passed onto and, followed by the fumigation staff in the field. It is also important to pass this training onto office based administrative staff to increase their understanding of AFAS and, to assist in ensuring continued compliance as they are then able to ensure that the documentation provided to them, by fumigation staff, is accurate and valid.

The DAFF Biosecurity team would like to thank IAQA and the fumigation companies who had taken part in the JSR for their warm hospitality and commitment to achieving the positive outcomes that were achieved.

DAFF Biosecurity and officers from IAQA.

AFAS - Thailand Joint System Review

The annual Joint System Review of AFAS in Thailand was held in September 2011. DAFF Biosecurity officers, Lea Hansen and Rodney Malone were accompanied by Mr Chusak Wongwichakorn and Ms Busarin Chettanchitara, along with a number of other members of the Thai Department of Agriculture (Thai DoA).

18 AFAS registered fumigation companies were audited around the Bangkok area. The audits focused on reviewing documentation, equipment and fumigation practices with the majority of companies showing a good level of compliance with the requirements set out in the AQIS Methyl Bromide Standard.

The visit also proved beneficial in clarifying some administrative issues with both the fumigation companies and the Thai DoA with respect to the overall management of the AFAS program.

DAFF Biosecurity were extremely grateful to the Port of Bangkok Plant Quarantine Station for allowing the use of their training facility to view a demonstration of the fumigation practices of the companies being audited. This greatly eliminated the need for extensive travel in and around Bangkok and allowed the audit team to spend more time focusing on fumigation practices.

DAFF Biosecurity would like to thank the Thai DoA and especially, Chusak and Busarin for their warm hospitality and great contribution to the success of visit.