Plant Standards Branch

Role | Function | Responsibilities | Structure

Role

The role of the Plant Standards Branch is to minimise the impact of certain plant pests and diseases on Victorian plant industries, with the aim of maintaining and expanding domestic and overseas markets. Plant Standards Branch functions are underpinned by the State Plant Health and Plant Products Act 1995 (The Act) (external link) and Plant Health and Plant Products Regulations 2006 (external link).

Function

The primary function of Plant Standards is to protect community and commercial interests in relation to fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, nursery stock and other plant material by implementing programs for the prevention of spread, detection and control of certain pests and diseases of plants, to minimise the impact on plant production and to enable flexible, cost-effective interstate certification systems.

Inspection, certification, pest and disease detection, and control program services are delivered at metropolitan and regional centres. The Branch also actively facilitates the development of quality assurance arrangements to meet business import and export requirements whilst aiming to reduce technical and legislative barriers to trade.

Plant Standards cooperates closely with the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and State and Territory counterparts and industry organisations in setting national and interstate plant quarantine policies, standards and operational procedures. Funds are provided from the State Government for exotic and targeted endemic pest and disease monitoring and control programs.

Fees are charged for inspection, certification and quality assurance services.

Responsibilities

The Plant Standards Branch has responsibilities for:

• regulation, inspection and monitoring of prescribed plants, plant products and agricultural machinery imported into Victoria from other States;
• certification of plants, plant products and agricultural machinery moving from Victoria to meet legislative requirements of other States;
• regulation and certification of prescribed plants, products and agricultural machinery moving into or from declared areas of Victoria;
• monitoring and treatment of specific plant pests and diseases within Victoria for the purposes of containment or eradication;
• surveillance of specific plant pest and diseases for purposes of market access;
• provision of advice to travellers on interstate/intrastate movement requirements for plants and plant products; and
• policy, communications and industry liaison.