Biosecurity New Zealand has reviewed submissions received during the first consultation on this risk management proposal for importing hop plants for planting.
We've proposed some changes to the requirements for importing hop plants for planting.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sought feedback about the proposed changes.
The consultation was open for submissions between 18 August and 29 September 2023.
We proposed to change requirements so that people can import hop species safely.
People would be able to import 2 hop species:
People would be able to import them from any country, in the form of micro-propagated plantlets (tissue cultures and plants in vitro).
We also wanted to allow imports from more export sources. People would be able to import whole plants and cuttings into quarantine. The quarantine facility would then use those plants or cuttings to create plants in vitro that would go through inspection and testing in a quarantine greenhouse.
We proposed that inspecting and testing plants offshore, or in post-entry quarantine in New Zealand, would manage the risk from hop pests.
Our analysis found that 17 key pests are associated with imported hops plants and pose a risk to New Zealand.
For details, refer to rationale and costs
Biosecurity risks from 5 of the 17 pests needed to be managed by a level 3B post-entry quarantine facility (the highest level of quarantine containment for plants).
We proposed giving importers a choice to manage these pests offshore using additional testing by exporters and declarations by the exporting country's government.
Another way to manage risk offshore is through an MPI-approved offshore facility for testing and holding hop plants. Currently, there are no offshore facilities approved for hop plants.
Find out about offshore facilities and requesting approval
If the pest risks that need a Level 3B facility are managed before the hops are exported to New Zealand, then the hops will go into a Level 2 post-entry quarantine to manage the remaining risk.
Read the facility standard: Post Entry Quarantine for Plants [PDF, 545 KB]
We wanted to allow people to import these 2 hop species safely. Although there are existing import requirements for Humulus lupulus (in the Nursery Stock Import Health Standard), we are not currently allowing imports of these hops because the existing requirements are not safe.
Nursery Stock Import Health Standard (page 190) [PDF, 3.6 MB]
18 August to 29 September: Consultation on this risk management proposal.
13 October to 27 October: Consultation on a draft import health standard.
17 November 2023: Final import health standard issued.
We will consider your feedback on this proposal and then draft an import health standard.
We will send the draft standard to you on 13 October 2023 and would appreciate your feedback on it as well.
We will consider your feedback on the standard and make any changes we need to before we publish it in November 2023.
The process we followed to make this proposal to manage biosecurity risk and enable safe trade of hop plants.
We searched scientific literature for pests that can be found on hop plants.
We analysed whether they could cause a significant impact to New Zealand and be present in plants released from post-entry quarantine.
Many pests did not need more assessment at this point for various reasons. For example, we could not confirm that a pest is associated with hops, the pest is unlikely to harm New Zealand, or the pest is already present in New Zealand.
We assessed more information about the pests we identified.
Some pests did not need more assessment at this point because, there was little evidence the pest was associated with hops, and the pest is managed by general import requirements and Level 2 post-entry quarantine for 6 months.
We concluded that 17 pests posed enough biosecurity risk for us to do a full review of scientific literature.
Read the rationale for offshore and onshore import requirements
From the 17 pests identified, we concluded:
If some pests can be managed offshore, PEQ time could be shorter, tests could be fewer, and the level of quarantine facility could be lower.
After hearing your opinion on this proposal, we will draft an import health standard, which we will share with you for feedback before publishing.
The import health standard is the legal document that explains the import requirements and allows plants to be traded safely.
This section has details about the current requirements for in vitro plants, the proposed requirements for in vitro hops, the rationale for these requirements, and the pests themselves.
All plants imported in vitro need to comply with general import requirements. These include that plants must be:
This table covers the rationale for requiring certain levels of quarantine containment and specific tests. Some pests have context that differs from the generic rationale. This context is listed by the pest in the table.
|
Requirement needed to manage biosecurity risk |
Rationale |
Pests |
|
|
General requirements |
Our analysis shows that these pests are unlikely to be present after going through the process of creating in-vitro cultures, and phytosanitary inspection. |
Insects, mites, nematodes |
|
|
Specific requirements L2 PEQ inspection (6 months) |
Our analysis shows that some pests need post-entry quarantine because they will not be managed by general requirements only. These pests are likely to be detected during quarantine because the pests are likely to develop visible symptoms within 6 months. These pests are likely to be contained in Level 2 post-entry quarantine because they are not waterborne or airborne.
|
Arabis mosaic virus small satellite RNA
Ascochyta humuliphila
Cercospora ‘sp. Q’ Diaporthe humulicola
Phaeomycocentrospora cantuariensis Pseudocercospora humuli |
|
|
Specific requirements L2 PEQ inspection (6 months) + PCR test |
Our analysis shows that these pests need specific testing on top of Level 2 post-entry quarantine because they may not be detected during inspection. The pests can be asymptomatic or have a latent period longer than 6 months. |
Apple fruit crinkle viroid ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ Citrus bark cracking viroid Fusarium luffae Fusarium meridionale Hop stunt viroid [strains not in NZ] |
|
|
Specific requirements L3B PEQ (6 months) |
Our analysis shows that these pests need post-entry quarantine Level 3B to contain them because the infrastructure in Level 2 post-entry quarantine cannot contain waterborne or airborne pests, and certain insect vectors. |
Podosphaera macularis |
|
|
Specific requirements L3B PEQ inspection (6 months) + PCR test |
Our analysis shows that these pests need specific testing on top of Level 3B post-entry quarantine because they may not be detected during inspection. These pests can be asymptomatic or have a latent period longer than 6 months.
|
Petunia asteroid mosaic virus Pseudoperonospora humuli
Verticillium nonalfalfae [hop strain] Xylella fastidiosa |
|
Although exact costs will vary between importers, exporters and service providers, we have outlined the likely costs for this proposed import pathway.
We believe these costs are appropriate for the level of biosecurity risk they will manage. However, we would like to hear from you if you have any concerns around the feasibility or the costs of this pathway.
|
Offshore factors |
Export inspection and certification (phytosanitary certificate); transport; storage |
|
Onshore factors |
Level 3B PEQ facility access for a minimum 6 months; MPI inspections and administration. 10 pest specific tests, including PCR and options for ELISA or plating where needed. Humid conditions and misting in post-entry quarantine might be needed, to make detecting some pests more likely (for example, Pseudoperonospora humuli). |
|
Expected overall cost (compared to other plant imports) |
High: Level 3B PEQ room lease costs are expected to increase soon. |
|
Uncertainties |
Availability of Level 3B PEQ space. |
If Petunia asteroid mosaic virus, Pseudocercospora humuli, Pseudoperonospora humuli, Verticillium nonalfalfae, Xylella fastidiosa are managed offshore, then Level 2 post-entry quarantine will manage the remaining pests.
|
Offshore factors |
Export inspection and certification (phytosanitary certificate); transport; storage; offshore testing; MPI-approved offshore facility audits and service |
|
Onshore factors |
Level 2 PEQ facility access for a minimum 6 months; MPI inspections and administration. Six pest specific tests, including PCR and options for ELISA or plating where needed. |
|
Expected overall cost (compared to other plant imports) |
Moderate–high: higher cost per consignment when offshore facility audit costs are included. |
|
Uncertainties |
The management of offshore official propagation schemes has not been evaluated yet. |
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
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